X

Sony's recurring security headaches (week in review)

Hiccups haunt PlayStation Network after relaunch, while U.S. officials mull location privacy. Also: Is Apple ready for music cloud?

Steven Musil Night Editor / News
Steven Musil is the night news editor at CNET News. He's been hooked on tech since learning BASIC in the late '70s. When not cleaning up after his daughter and son, Steven can be found pedaling around the San Francisco Bay Area. Before joining CNET in 2000, Steven spent 10 years at various Bay Area newspapers.
Expertise I have more than 30 years' experience in journalism in the heart of the Silicon Valley.
Steven Musil
3 min read
PlayStation Network

After nearly four weeks offline, Sony relaunched its PlayStation Network, but not without continuing hurdles.

The entertainment and electronics giant began returning its entire portfolio of online games, game forums, and Web sites to service last weekend. But shortly after service resumed, users started complaining on Twitter that it wasn't active long before it was unavailable again.

Sony said "extremely heavy traffic" was to blame for the service interruptions and said it had to "turn the service off for 30 minutes in order to clear the queue " of too many password resets submitted at once.

But that wasn't good enough for Japan--Sony's home country. An official in Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry said the government is waiting for Sony to deliver better security measures.

To add insult to injury, a new exploit was discovered that allowed hackers to change PSN users' passwords with the data stolen during the break-in to the service last month. The Web sites that allow PSN users to sign in and reset their passwords were taken offline briefly to fix the exploit.
•  Sony: PSN back, but no system is 100 percent secure
•  Sony attack may have been multipronged
•  How to stay safe on Sony PlayStation Network

More headlines

Senators press Apple, Google on location privacy

Apple and Google return to Capitol Hill to defend themselves against accusations from politicians who say companies aren't doing enough to protect their customers' location privacy.
•  Sweeping bill would update privacy law
•  FCC, FTC to hold mobile location privacy forum

Apple near cloud-music deals

Apple already had a deal to offer cloud music from Warner Music and is said to have agreement in place with EMI, music industry sources tell CNET. Sony Music and Universal Music are also close.
•  Report: Apple signs Sony for cloud-music service
•  Apple patent adds clues to streaming music service

Verizon to offer tiered family plans for data devices

Will Verizon be the first to jump onto the bundled family plan for data devices? Either way, it comes at the demise of flat-rate data plans for smartphones.
•  Verizon CFO hints at global 'iPhone 5,' talks LTE

LinkedIn soars in first day of trading

Shares of the business social network end the day at $94.25, more than double the opening price on the NYSE of $45.

Intel CEO: Big shift to mobile

Paul Otellini says the chipmaker is redirecting its focus to low-power and small devices like smartphones, Netbooks, and tablets.
•  Intel smartphone push questioned

Google fixes Android Wi-Fi security hole

Now Android will force secure connections to calendar and contacts servers for all Android users to prevent someone from snooping on data.
•  Android phones vulnerable to snooping attack

How bad is the Mac malware scare? (FAQ)

Windows users are familiar with the fake anti-malware ruse, but this is the first time it's been targeted at the smaller Mac market. CNET tells you what Mac Defender is and what it means for Macintosh users.
•  How to remove MacDefender fake antivirus program

Yes, Clearwire really is on the ropes

Clearwire says it has enough money for the next year to fund its network build, but what happens after that? Its COO is bullish on the future, but competition makes for an uphill climb.
•  Ericsson to manage Clearwire's 4G network
•  Report: Sprint, Clearwire weigh network hosting deal

Report: Netflix swallowing peak Net traffic fast

Netflix grabs nearly one-third of peak traffic, according to a report by Sandvine, with most of the traffic coming from gaming devices (and probably "Harry Potter" streaming parties).
•  Broadband prices down 50 percent in past two years

Shuttle Endeavour rockets into orbit on its final flight

Knifing through low clouds, the shuttle Endeavour streaked into orbit Monday after a two-week delay, kicking off the orbiter's 25th and final mission.
•  Woman on plane films Endeavour rocketing to space

Also of note
•  Amazon: Kindle books outselling all print books
•  Bill Gates giddy over Skype acquisition
•  McDonald's hires 7,000 touch-screen cashiers