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Australia planning new law following PSN hacking  photo

The Australian government is planning a law in the wake of Sony's PSN hacking disaster. The new ruling is designed to force companies to disclose any privacy breaches to the public. 1,560,791 Australian accounts were caught in the mess, and officials in the country are pissed. 

Privacy minister Brendan O'Connor has publicly criticized Sony, saying it was "very concerned" about the way in which the situation was handled. However, he added that other companies have been doing a bad job of protecting customer data, and everybody needs to tighten their security. 

Sony insists it didn't know that details were compromised before it made the problem public, but that hasn't stopped politicians from getting pissed. Clearly, a lot of people still want answers. 

Privacy laws to be beefed up following Sony attack [WA Today]








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38 comments | showing # 1 to 38
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Shallwhat's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 15:23
Shallwhat
Do I win anything for recognizing the amazing My Cousin Vinny reference?
Spaz's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 15:24
Spaz
I can say I'm surprised, but only by the fact it is Australia. I had figured they wouldn't have given a fuck since it was related to video games.
Ilostmycookie's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 15:29
Ilostmycookie
Sounds like a good law...Can't really find any reason to think it isn't reasonable
tomothy25's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 15:29
tomothy25
"You mocking me, boy?!"
ralphster's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 15:31
ralphster
glory glory man utd!
jitzul's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 15:32
jitzul
And so it begins.
ManWithNoName's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 15:33
ManWithNoName
The law is good but I always believe that a problem is over blown when politicians get involved. But yeha,Sony screwed up the situation with the slow PR response.
Tubatic's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 15:36
Tubatic
Two Wut?
TheToiletDuck's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 15:37
TheToiletDuck
"officials in the country are pissed"

Yup, that sounds like Australia.
Xanthene's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 15:40
Xanthene
The Australian government already ruined my favorite porn site, abbywinters, and are now trying to ruin video games. no sense down under.
AklashPahk's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 15:40
AklashPahk
Marisa Tomei is in that movie... hmmm...
tahmidk's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 15:47
tahmidk
PSN is still not up.. Thank god i have exmas to revise for... OK WTF SONY?!
tahmidk's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 15:47
tahmidk
PSN is still not up.. Thank god i have exams to revise for... OK WTF SONY?!
TheNephilym's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 16:00
TheNephilym
Lol. Sony should hire Vinny to get them out of this mess and they'll be fine.
pokota's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 16:03
pokota
Interesting. I can't help but wonder about the details, and hope they get some technology experts involved with the writing.

The simple truth is, intrusions happen all the time. Low level hacking attempts get past the first line of defense quite often. We don't get told that, of course, because log checks show that nothing was compromised, but do companies have to blow the sirens on initial discovery, anyway?

If we get "your data may have been stolen" emails and media websites light up every time someone pokes into a DMZ or peeks behind the first firewall, then I can't help but think that Australian consumers are in for a very panic-filled, eye-opening time.
Elsa's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 16:10
Elsa
Yeah, Canada's been talking about having the same type of legislation...
NickCull's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 16:16
NickCull
"What is a yute?"
NickCull's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 16:18
NickCull
Also, that is one of the only sensible gaming laws that government has come up with.
Nick Clinite's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 16:25
Nick Clinite
"But sir, I am wearing this ridiculous outfit ... for you."
Ray Tarded's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 16:27
Ray Tarded
quote:
"Sony insists it didn't know that details were compromised before it made the problem public"

That's the EXACT reason Sony should have notified everyone right away. Because they DIDN'T KNOW. Not knowing does not equal "oh, everyone must be o.k." Not knowing means there's a 50/50 chance.

Just more proof that Sony doesn't give two shits about it's customers.
John B's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 16:38
John B
@Ray Tarded: That's some of the most twisted logic I've ever heard.

"We have no idea what the issue is yet, but let's just assume the worst and make an announcement to send our customers into a total panic without having any facts at all." Uh, yeah. Great plan ya got there, boss.
DinnertimeNinja's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 16:44
DinnertimeNinja
So it's a law created in the wake of Sony already having done what the law said?

I think it's pretty absurd for people to think Sony lied about not knowing personal data might have been stolen. The sooner they told the public, the fewer the people that would have legitimate problems because of it.

I suppose it's possible, but it doesn't make much sense..
Blahblahblahblah's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 16:45
Blahblahblahblah
Australia making a new law relevant to video games? What else is new?
pokota's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 16:46
pokota
@Ray Tarded

If that's your proof that Sony doesn't care, then do you understand that no one else cares, as well? How do you feel about that? Are you mad at everyone else? No one hits the panic button on first discovery. NO ONE.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't have been notified sooner, as Sony's consultants began to realize the scope of the intrusion, but "right away"? It doesn't happen.

Also "not knowing means there's a 50/50 chance" makes no sense at all, not unless they knew right away how far the intruder has gone, which they obviously did not. That's like saying "someone has gotten past the main gate, so there is a 50/50 chance the president is dead".

There should be an investigation by a governing body, along with disclosure of the investigation results, at which point professionals (hopefully not politicians) can tells us what was done right and what was done wrong, and at what point Sony knew that personal data might have been compromised. I've gotten kind of tired of people/media with absolutely no understanding of network security or access to any actual details telling me what I should think about the situation.
Octomom's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 16:50
Octomom
At this rate, Nintendo and Microsoft won't have to bother fighting to win the console race, Sony is just going to get themselves outlawed.
Hawks's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 16:54
Hawks
On the one hand, Australia doesnt need more restrictions when it comes to gaming. On the other hand, fuck Sony. Not a fanboy of anything and Ill end up getting a PS3 eventually when Ive got the extra cash, but I just fucking hate Sony.
mrplow8's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 17:01
mrplow8
This law seems pointless. Sony claims that they didn't know. Even if they're lying, I don't see how anyone could prove it. Any law that you can get around by saying "We didn't know" seems like a pointless law to me.
Thomas Kakarot OMalley's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 17:05
Thomas Kakarot OMalley
such an Australia thing to do
Jared Ari's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 18:00
Jared Ari
Those numbers don't add up, Jim.

1.5 million accounts? Sony said only 12,700 credit card numbers were compromised, and not all of those (if any) were Australian cards. That's a huge difference from 1.5 mil. Unless they're creating a new law because those 1,560,791 PSN members were upset that they couldn't log into their accounts (unlikely), it should probably be noted that very few Australians had their information actually breached as a result of this attack.

Source: http://www.destructoid.com/new-attack-on-sony-loses-12-700-credit-card-numbers-200240.phtml
JimmyDanger's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 18:04
JimmyDanger
Your mixing your PSN hack with your SOE hack Arianol.
Xzianna's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 19:27
Xzianna
@NickCull

"Excuse me, your honor. Two YOUTHS."
shit-polka's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 20:53
shit-polka
is that the fucking guy from Pet Semetary?
shit-polka's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/03/2011 20:58
shit-polka
oh, wait, answered my own question, goddamn I am a IMDB detective. Snaked the name on that plaque and searched the shit out of it. It TOTALLY. IS. HIM. WHOA.
PrinceHeir's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/04/2011 02:25
PrinceHeir
hope everyone learns a valuable lesson in this incident.

i guess you could say Sony was the test subject in this incident, and companies will start taking precautions now even though they should have done it from the very start.

still can't wait for PSN to back up :P
Dace Falar's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/04/2011 08:33
Dace Falar
Awesome movie man!
Jared Ari's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/04/2011 13:51
Jared Ari
Ah, my mistake.

I failed to realize that Sony let itself get hacked twice.
>.< Fuck.
Bilar's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/04/2011 16:54
Bilar
I want a My Cousin Vinny video game that plays like Phoenix Wright.
pABSO's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/04/2011 22:19
pABSO
I'd like to see a little more attention focused on the hackers and less on the hacked, I mean since when does the victim get blamed and villain get praised.
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