So-net user accounts hacked, gift points taken

Sony subsidiary So-net Entertainment Corp which provides Internet services said a hacker accessed its customer rewards site this week. Redeemable gift points with a value of nearly $1,225 were then stolen. A company spokesperson didn't rule out the possibility the attack was related to the recent PSN attack, but downplayed such a likelihood because the method of intrusion differed from that of the PSN hack.

So-net warned users on Thursday, telling them an intruder tried 10,000 times to access the point service that grants customers reward points that can then be exchanged for Sony products and online currency. The company believed the hacker entered valid usernames and then applied an automated program that tried to guess the correct login match until it found the right one.

As a result, points from 128 user accounts were redeemed without authorization. Another 73 accounts were accessed but the point were not redeemed. Also, 90 So-net e-mail accounts were compromised. There is no evidence that the attacker saw personal information.

The breach was discovered on May 18, following customer complaints, with the intrusions occurring on May 16 and 17. The redemption service was then suspended. [via WSJ]

By Electronista Staff

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