Second Security Breach Targets Sony

Hackers may have stolen the data of another 25 million Sony customers in a breach of its multiplayer online gaming network.

About 77 million Playstation accounts were jeopardised by a malicious intrusion on April 17 to 19, but a review of that breach found an earlier virtual break-in at a division that allows PC users to play games over the internet.

"We had previously believed that Sony Online Entertainment customer data had not been obtained in the cyber-attacks on the company," the company said in an online update.

"But, on May 1st we concluded that SOE account information may have been stolen and we are notifying you as soon as possible."

The names, addresses, emails, birth dates, phone numbers and other information from 24.6 million PC games customers were taken from its servers as well as an "outdated database" from 2007, according to Sony.

About 12,700 credit or debit card numbers, along with expiration dates, belonging to people outside the United States may have been stolen along with 10,700 direct debit records of customers in Austria, Germany, Netherlands, and Spain.

"We will be notifying each of these customers promptly," the Japanese consumer electronics giant said.

The incident that Sony disclosed on Monday also forced it to suspend its Sony Online Entertainment games on Facebook.

It was not immediately clear if the data theft included data from players of games including "PoxNora," "Dungeon Overlord," "Wildlife Refuge" on the social networking site.

Sony executives on Sunday apologised for the problems with the Playstation Network and said it would gradually restart it with increased security.

Time to change account password and id guys, also contact your banks ;)