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Sony's Playstation network is up again as the company admits it WAS attacked by hackers

No direct link is being made to the cyber attack over ‘The Interview’.

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Updated at 12.05pm

SONY HAS ADMITTED that the attack which knocked out its Playstation network on Christmas came from hackers as the company finally got all its systems back online.

Both Sony and Microsoft’s Xbox networks were hit with a major outage 3 days ago in a major denial-of-service (DDOS) attack on the online gaming systems.

The disruption started on Christmas Day with both networks attempting to restore connectivity at one of the busiest periods of the year.

The Xbox network was mostly back online on St Stephen’s Day, however Playstation users were still complaining of problems logging in yesterday.

But in a recent blog post, Sony vice president Catherine Jensen wrote the Playstation network was finally operational – and admitted for the first time that a deliberate attack was behind the outage.

As you probably know, (the) Playstation network and some other gaming services were attacked over the holidays with artificially high levels of traffic designed to disrupt connectivity and online gameplay,” she wrote.

Blame the Lizard Squad

A group called the Lizard Squad claimed responsibility for the attack, which involved the 2 companies’ networks being hit with massive traffic to shut them down.

The same so-called “hacking community” also took credit for previous attacks on both the Xbox and Playstation networks, including one in which it bizarrely claimed to have “planted the ISIS flag” on Sony’s servers.

In a strange twist to the latest attack, eccentric internet mogul Kim Dotcom said via Twitter that he had performed a “Christmas miracle” and stopped the Lizard Squad shutting down the networks.

kim-dotcom Kim Dotcom sam_churchill sam_churchill

A Twitter account claiming to be from the Lizard Squad said the group had stopped its DDOS attack early on St Stephen’s Day – however the systems might stay down for a while because of the “aftermath” of the attack.

The latest headache for Sony

Sony was hit by a sophisticated hacking attack this month that stole massive amounts of data from its servers.

The US has blamed North Korea for the attack, with the reclusive state seen as furious at the release of Sony film ‘The Interview’.

The movie was given a limited release on Christmas Day but has also been released online through Youtube as well as both Xbox and Sony.

Analysts said a direct connection between the gaming outage and the Sony Pictures attack was unlikely and that the latest attack was probably the work of fame-seeking amateurs.

“The timing suggests that this is an attack that we can put in the category of adolescents who are looking for a bit of glory,” said Pierre Samson of the European Circle Security and Information Systems.

“There is a very small probability that there was a direct link with the attack on Sony Pictures, you can order an attack to online services fairly easily with few resources.”

He said thousands of similar attacks are launched daily, although they are not always effective.

Additional reporting from Peter Bodkin and AFP

Read: So after all that hassle is The Interview actually any good? >

Read: Hackers have scared Hollywood into not releasing Seth Rogen’s new North Korea film >

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40 Comments
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    Mute CitizenSmith©
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    Dec 27th 2014, 11:07 AM

    Hundreds of thousands of people have been playing with themselves for days now

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Dec 27th 2014, 11:18 AM

    And Kim sayeth unto the jilted generation – “Pway Baskabaw !”

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Dec 28th 2014, 12:20 PM

    A ddos attack isn’t a hack.

    79
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    Mute Owen Slattery
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    Dec 28th 2014, 1:44 PM

    And when big companies launch DDOS attacks themselves, its never reported as such. Double standards.

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    Mute Joe Hill
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    Dec 27th 2014, 11:13 AM

    Meanwhile in Gazza children are still living in rubble, thanks to the bombs supplied by the U.S. Think they might be content to swop problems!

    61
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    Mute CitizenSmith©
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    Dec 27th 2014, 11:14 AM

    Giving them an Xbox and they’d still be living in rubble

    176
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    Mute Andy Patton
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    Dec 28th 2014, 1:53 PM

    Gazza the footballer?

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    Mute Marty Flood
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    Dec 27th 2014, 11:06 AM

    And at Christmas too. Sure the little darlings would freeze outside.

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    Mute John Byrne
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    Dec 27th 2014, 11:03 AM

    Who gives a sh.t god forbid gamers have to interact in the real world .

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    Mute Hevin Bear Kiggins
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    Dec 27th 2014, 11:06 AM

    Does co-op count?

    156
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    Mute Eric Lensherr
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    Dec 27th 2014, 11:37 AM

    Yeah, maybe they’ll become as cool and interesting as you and your hilarious profile pic John.

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    Mute John Byrne
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    Dec 27th 2014, 11:50 AM

    Maybe Eric , that was a very interesting man I met in airlie beach , I spent a good hour chatting to him , bought him a few beers , I bought some of his homemade jerkie that he sells to get by . He spent most of his life travelling around oz , working on fruit farms , digging for opals in the outback , shearing sheep ,anything to make a dollar , I offered him $5 for the pic , he wouldn’t take it , said he’d prefer if I bought some of his jerkie . But if what floats your boat is playing silly games online for hours on end , we’ll go for it mate but it’s not for me . I prefer real people in the real world . Happy new year .

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    Mute John Byrne
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    Dec 27th 2014, 11:58 AM

    Love your twitter feed by the way Eric , games games games .

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    Mute Eric Lensherr
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    Dec 27th 2014, 12:04 PM

    Wow what a cool, down to earth person you are John, buying homemade jerkie at airlie beach. Thanks for answering in incredible detail a question that I didn’t ask.

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    Mute Aaron O Connor
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    Dec 27th 2014, 12:05 PM

    Do whatever makes you happy. Who care what other people think.

    101
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    Mute John Byrne
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    Dec 27th 2014, 12:12 PM

    Wow yere a touchy lot aren’t ye , eat some carrots Eric you mustn’t get much vitamin d being stuck inside playing with yourself all day . You were being a smart arse commenting on my pic , when you leave the house for longer than it takes to buy potnoodles and wet wipes you might meet some interesting characters yourself .

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    Mute Eric Lensherr
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    Dec 27th 2014, 12:21 PM

    I’m not the one telling my life story on the journal comments section because an anonymous twitter account made a sarky comment about me.

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    Mute John Byrne
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    Dec 27th 2014, 12:23 PM

    Ha ha point proven , hardly my life story just one interaction one hour of one day in the real world . Enjoy your games now and happy new year .

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    Mute Barry Kelly
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    Dec 27th 2014, 12:52 PM

    Did a gamer run off with your missus John? You have an interesting level of hatred for their hobby!

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    Mute Barry O'Brien
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    Dec 27th 2014, 1:10 PM

    Such an interesting story John. Maybe the journal would run an article on it? I’m sure there would be massive interest. After all, shouldn’t everyone want to be just like you and lead such an interesting life and buy jerky from some random guy on a beach?

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    Mute Hevin Bear Kiggins
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    Dec 27th 2014, 1:13 PM

    Your a dick John

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    Mute Graham Kavanagh
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    Dec 27th 2014, 2:35 PM

    John, I live a good life, travel as much as I can, drove the east coast of Canada this year, right out to the eastern tip of Cape Breton…. I do however like to unwind and play some games, have some fun….. Its nice that you do things, but you come across as a good reason why many would prefer online gaming, if your type represents the real world….. You probably like to tell people what to do all the time, your ideas or the highway….. Have fun with your jerkies.

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    Mute justanothertaxpayer
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    Dec 27th 2014, 3:02 PM

    John – The whole point of these networks is to facilitate person to person interaction. Technological advances have just made communication nearly instant and much easier. I would suppose you could have presented your same argument regarding the invention of the telephone.

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    Mute Michael Flynn
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    Dec 28th 2014, 12:19 PM

    Creep

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    Mute Pharmyco
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    Dec 28th 2014, 1:02 PM

    You don’t get Vitamin D from carrots.

    34
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    Mute Luke McDermott
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    Dec 28th 2014, 1:04 PM

    Lads settle it the old fashioned way. Game of FIFA, what do you say?

    43
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    Mute Graham Kavanagh
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    Dec 28th 2014, 3:22 PM

    Ok, once we are back online! And Fifa 14 only!

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    Mute seanbrowne
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    Dec 27th 2014, 1:17 PM

    None of my 3 play stations are working

    25
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    Mute Graham Kavanagh
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    Dec 27th 2014, 2:37 PM

    Playstation is not online. You need PS2, 3 or 4.

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    Mute Emma B
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    Dec 28th 2014, 10:39 PM

    Or a PS1 memory card.

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    Mute Dee4
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    Dec 27th 2014, 12:32 PM

    just setting up xbox 1 here this morning and no problems

    18
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    Mute #tears4piers
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    Dec 28th 2014, 2:39 PM

    Because yesterday was the 27th, pay attention.

    12
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    Mute Derek Courtney
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    Dec 28th 2014, 2:09 PM

    Does this mean Sony are going to be nice enough to compensate those who had digital purchased games and couldn’t play them.
    I’ll not be buying digital again off to the shops with me

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    Mute Powerful Sayings
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    Dec 28th 2014, 7:22 PM

    Yes. We need compensation. Very stressful.

    3
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    Mute Emma B
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    Dec 28th 2014, 10:40 PM

    FFS, compensation for something Sony had little to no control over? The PSN is free, you don’t even pay for it.

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    Mute Gerard Mc Shane
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    Dec 29th 2014, 12:50 AM

    Actually on ps4 it costs 50€ per year apparently

    8
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    Mute Aaron O Connor
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    Dec 27th 2014, 12:07 PM

    Only Ps4 still down for me. Going to buy DriveClub when it comes back online.

    12
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    Mute GerryC76
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    Dec 27th 2014, 11:08 AM

    Bought kids a ps4 for Christmas. Still in box. No point hooking up until online options available.

    11
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    Mute Hevin Bear Kiggins
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    Dec 27th 2014, 11:29 AM

    Play the campaign will ye

    114
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    Mute Graham Kavanagh
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    Dec 27th 2014, 2:36 PM

    Sure, its in box…

    28
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