DCEmu Homebrew Emulation & Theme Park News
wraggster
by Published on April 28th, 2011 21:24
Unless you're some sort of internet surfing ninja, the PlayStation Network news has been hard to avoid. Sony's online platform provides online gaming, new video game, movie and music content to millions - and it has been hit hard by nefarious hackers.
While we can all live without playing online for a few days, the PSN hacking fallout may have bigger repercussions. Earlier this week Sony issued achilling official statement confirming that the personal information of its users had been compromised as a result of the illegal "intrusion".
It admitted, much to consumers' horror: "We believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information that you provided: name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address, birth date, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID".
While there is no evidence at this time that any credit card data was used fraudulently, the possibility cannot be ruled out. If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, an "abundance of caution" is advised.
Sony has said it hopes to restore PlayStation Network services within a week - but the question is... will you go back?
With the service and personal details compromised on such a broad and fundamental level will you be able to once again place your sensitive information in Sony's hands after being burned? Are you thinking it might be time to jump ship and join Xbox Live? Or are you confident that Sony will be able to address the security issues once and for all and are happy to forgive, forget, and go on enjoying the PlayStation Network's multiplayer gaming and content offerings?
As ever, let us know your thoughts in the comments section below...
http://www.computerandvideogames.com...VG-General-RSS ...by Published on April 27th, 2011 22:39- Categories:
- Xbox 360 News
Microsoft's Kinect is clearly gunning to grab the Guinness record for most Guinness records. Back in March, the hands-free peripheral nabbed a certificate naming it the "Fastest Selling Consumer Electronics Device," and now the Xbox Live and Kinect Sports teams are the joint owners of the record for "The Largest Online 100 Metre Sprint" -- after Microsoft managed to convince 10,539 of its closest pals to help it run in place via Xbox Live earlier this month. According to Redmond, the long-winded accomplishment is under consideration for inclusion in a Guinness volume -- though admittedly only theGamer's Edition spinoff, itself a shoo-in for "most superfluous record book."
http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/27/m...-world-record/
...by Published on April 27th, 2011 22:36- Categories:
- PC News
Firefox 4? Too furry. Internet Explorer 9? Too blue. Google's Chrome? Just the right amount of shine -- or is it? The company introduced a flat new logo for the browser and now that logo is gracing the software's latest stable release. Chrome 11 is now available, the biggest changes being a number of security and bug fixes, some of which "may be kept private until a majority of our users are up to date with the fix." The new version also delivers speech-to-text and, perhaps more importantly, text-to-speech. There are other enhancements too, but really you've probably already left us to update. Are you still there? Hello?
http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/27/g...-here-to-stay/ ...by Published on April 27th, 2011 22:34
The UK financial services industry has moved to calm growing fear among PlayStation gamers that they may be the victim of identity theft following the PlayStation Network security breach....
Financial Fraud Action UK (FFA UK), an organisation that co-ordinates fraud prevention in the UK, has told Eurogamer that there is no need for gamers to cancel their credit cards "at this stage".
The comments come amid growing intensity around Sony, which confirmed last night that over 70 million PSN users have had their personal details stolen by a hacker.
Worryingly, Sony is unable to say whether credit card details have also been compromised.
Now, as revealed by Eurogamer, the Information Commissioner's Office is involved – and may bring action against Sony if it finds it in breach of the Data Protection Act.
Despite this, the FFA warned against an overreaction.
"FFA UK has been made aware that out of the 70 million Sony PlayStation accounts compromised worldwide in the Sony PlayStation Network incident, three million are based in the UK," the organisation told Eurogamer.
"Sony has not yet confirmed if card details have been compromised but FFA UK is liaising closely with Sony with regard to this.
"The banking industry has robust processes in place to protect its customers' accounts by monitoring for suspicious or irregular card transactions. If Sony confirms that card details have been compromised, and provides details to us of those accounts, card issuers can place alerts on these accounts. Further steps, such as blocking the account and/or issuing new cards can be taken if necessary.
"There is no need for customers to contact their bank or card company at this stage. However, customers should continue to do what they should normally be doing - checking their statement and keeping a close eye on their account for any unusual activity – if they spot any they should then contact their bank or card company."
However, FFA UK recommends gamers who use the same passwords for their PlayStation account as they do for other financial accounts change these passwords to something else "as soon as possible".
"Similarly, customers may have had their email addresses and telephone numbers compromised in this incident, so they should be wary of responding to any unsolicited emails or telephone calls that ask for sensitive or financial information."
The FFA reiterated information provided to Eurogamer by consumer advice organisation Which? earlier today, and reassured those worried that they will not lose money as a result of the security breach.
"In the event that anyone is the innocent victim of fraud as a result of this incident, customers can have peace of mind that they will get their money back from their bank or card company."
The PSN identity theft furore is perhaps the most devastating crisis in PlayStation's history.
Last night Sony began sending emails to PSN users warning them their personal information, including PSN usernames and passwords, addresses and email addresses, had been stolen by an unauthorized user. There are 77 million PlayStation Network users across the world, and three million in the UK.
The service has been down since last Wednesday in the US, and many are now wondering why it took so long for Sony to warn its customers to change their passwords and check their credit card statements.
Sony also faces accusations that it failed to protect user data properly. It is currently rebuilding PSN in order to improve it.
Sony has apologised for the episode, and vowed to track down the hackers.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...ity-theft-fearby Published on April 27th, 2011 22:31- Categories:
- PS3 News
Fans of Sony Online Entertainment games can breathe a sigh of relief - the great PlayStation Network identity theft hasn't affected them....
"We wanted to update you on the status of our examination of the SOE system intrusion we announced last week," SOE director of community relations Linda Carlson wrote on the DC Universe forum.
"We have been conducting a thorough investigation and, to the best of our knowledge, no customer personal information got out to any unauthorized person or persons. We are continuing that investigation and monitoring the situation carefully; should the situation change, we will of course promptly notify you."
Accounts may not have been jeopardised, but DC Universe Online and Free Realms have been unplayable on PS3 since PlayStation Network went down.
Carlson, hours later, added:
"We apologise for any inconvenience players may have experienced as a result of the recent service interruption. As a global leader in online gaming, SOE is committed to delivering stable and entertaining games for players of all ages.
"To thank players for their patience, and we will be hosting special events this weekend across our game portfolio, including a Double Station Cash day on Saturday, April 30th.
"We are also working on a 'make good' plan for players of the PS3 versions of DC Universe Online and Free Realms."
Details on that "make good plan", she added, will be available "soon".
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...identity-theftby Published on April 27th, 2011 22:28- Categories:
- Apple iPhone
[Apple] said that over the next few weeks it would release a software update for iOS that would reduce the size of the crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower database cached on the iPhone, cease backing up the cache, and delete the cache entirely when Location Services is turned off. Additionally, Apple said that in the next major iOS software release the cache would be encrypted on the iPhone, though a timeline for that was not provided."http://apple.slashdot.org/story/11/0...ivacy-Concerns ...by Published on April 27th, 2011 22:27- Categories:
- Apple iPhone
Apple had filed a lawsuit in March against Amazon's use of 'App Store' in their newly launched Amazon AppStore. Apple had informed Amazon that using the term 'App Store' was unlawful because they owned the rights to the term itself. In their response Amazon indicates that the term 'App Store' is too generic for Apple to lay claim to the name itself."http://apple.slashdot.org/story/11/0...uit-From-Apple ...by Published on April 27th, 2011 22:25- Categories:
- PC News
Federal authorities will remotely uninstall the Coreflood botnet Trojan from some infected Windows PCs over the next four weeks. Coreflood will be removed from infected computers only when the owners have been identified by the DOJ and they have submitted an authorization form to the FBI. The DOJ's plan to uninstall Coreflood is the latest step in a coordinated campaign to cripple the botnet, which controls more than 2 million compromised computers. The remote wipe move will require consent, and the action does does come with warnings from the court that provided the injunction against the botnet, however. 'While the 'uninstall' command has been tested by the FBI and appears to work, it is nevertheless possible that the execution of the 'uninstall' command may produce unanticipated consequences, including damage to the infected computers,' the authorization form reads. FBI Special Agent Briana Neumiller said, 'The process does not affect any user files on an infected computer, nor does it ... access any data on the infected computer.' The DOJ and FBI did not say how many machines it has identified as candidates for its uninstall strategy, but told the judge that FBI field offices would be notifying affected people, companies and organizationshttp://it.slashdot.org/story/11/04/2...-From-Some-PCs ...by Published on April 27th, 2011 22:22
The recent attacks and subsequent user information breach is evidence that internet fraudsters are now increasingly targeting social and other such networks because of their softer security measures compared to banks and online retailers.
That's according to data protection expert and Open University lecturer Blaine Price, who told BBC that networks such as Sony's PSN are forced to sacrifice security in favour of usability.
"Any lock can be picked," said Price, adding, "There's always a trade off in security between usability - being able to get at what you want, and making it secure.
"Your online banking site is much more sophisticated," he went on to explain, making it a more strenuous process for users to get their details, but is more secure because of it.
"A bank would usually use two-factor authentication, where you've not just got a password. It would be a real pain if every time you want to start up a game you had to scan your thumb, type in 15 digits and pull out a card reader.
"Any time you're just using a user ID and password, it's going to be a risk," said Price.
David Emm, a senior security researcher for Kaspersky Labs, chimed in with age-old advice - don't use the same passwords for all your site/network accounts. "The weakest link is always the individual," said Emm, noting peoples' tendency to use the same password across the internet to make logins easier to remember.
"Clearly, trying to undermine a bank's security is a lot of effort. Whereas if you go after an individual, it's not going to be noticed, it's going to be easier to do."
Meanwhile, the Information Commissioner's Office's (ICO) David Smith questions companies need to collect such extensive amounts of personal data. "It's a very important data protection principle that you shouldn't collect excessive information or keep it longer than is necessary.
"The question about, for example, why an organisation asks for a specific date of birth, as opposed to an age band, is at the centre of our work," he said.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com...VG-General-RSS ...by Published on April 27th, 2011 22:21
Anyone else wake up this morning with an icky feeling in their stomach?
Stupid, really. No-one died, there was no physical damage. I'm still here, you're still here. I'm sure your mum's fine.
And yet such a wave of immediate vulnerability, combined with a crash of breathtaking, stomach-crippling naivety... it was almost bleak.
The non-gaming world still hasn't fully grasped it yet, but it's one hell of a scary day to be a tech-savvy citizen. Our very way of life has been attacked, and consciously acknowledged or not, we are reeling.
The immediate and vicious communal ire, unsurprisingly and to a large degree deservedly, has been directed at Sony. These are, after all, the personal and financial details with which over 70 million consumers - roughly the population of the entire UK - confidently entrusted the platform holder.
It seemed a simple deal: we'll give you oodles of cash for brilliant content, you take our money with a grin. Oh, and don't be frivolous with our entire online identity. Cool?
Overnight, that unspoken contract (or, indeed, that contracted contract, depending on the inevitable litigious tussle) has been eroded with a single, crushing phrase: "An unauthorized person has obtained the following information." I still feel slightly winded after reading it.
Sony may tell us that it's received no reports of credit card fraud from PSN users, but that will be shallow comfort to an uneasy, woozy consumer base. Under its guard, the safety apparatus has been ripped off our personal wealth - in some cases, the very funds that will bedrock our future livelihood. Some degree of inflated panic is entirely condonable.
But to lay the blame solely at Sony's feet is to do injustice to the guile, deviousness and frightening perspicacity with which the PlayStation Network has been invaded. And, moreover, to the rabid motivation that has driven it.
It is a fact that there may have been vulnerabilities in Sony's security that were overlooked. They should be independently investigated - and Sony fully held to account for any proven wisp of negligence.
But in fairness, the platform holder has been doing battle with a far greater force than a mere deficiency-seeking drone, out to wheedle its weak spots; it has been dealing with the rapacious human will of a fanatical foe.
It has, to all intents and purposes, been turned on by a technological terrorist - one without the malevolence for bloodshed or tragedy, but a terrorist nonetheless. Our cosy reliance on Sony's steel walls has been splintered; our trust in the system spooked.
Thankfully - and I'm typing with fingers crossed and rabbit foot firmly attached - the perpetrator who shattered PSN's previously impenetrable digital fortress is more likely to be a spliff-in-mum's-garage nerd than a hardened, profit-seeking criminal. A nerd like the unfortunate Gary McKinnon, who - perspective alert! - allegedly snuck behind the digital perimeters of NASA and the US Navy, Army and Air Force in 2001. From his mum's computer. Just to check on UFOs.
Like McKinnon, PSN's nemesis is likely hyper-intelligent and, no doubt, not exactly a darling of high society.
The fact that a full week has passed since the PSN attack without any reported credit card fraud is reason for us all to relax at least a little - and to suggest that the end-game for Sony's public enemy no.1 was to expose, rather than embezzle; to win, rather than wound.
But what kept them ticking? Whoever successfully 'intruded' (Sony's Carry On euphemism does bring some light relief to proceedings, don't you think?) PSN last week was a demonstrable zealot; fixated on leaving Sony red-faced, and bringing its establishment crashing down.
If I were a betting man, and I'm not (or at least, I can't afford to be whilst my VISA lies legs akimbo to the criminal underworld), I'd put 50,000 MS Points on why I think PS3 was targeted in such a furious manner: Simply, because Sony beat the hackers.
Not only did its console lay non-moddable for years - the Batmobile of gaming next to Nintendo and Microsoft's relative Robin Reliants - but when Sony's Blu-ray beast was finally jailbroken, the company hit back. Hard.
It took the livewire king of the community, one George Hotz, and neutered him explicitly and unrelentingly, right in front of his acolytes. 'GeoHot' and Sony may have settled out of court, but Hotz's passive-aggressive, tail-whipped final rallying whispers to his fans were an embarrassment; a lobotomised whimper compared to the "fudge-packer" grandstanding heentertained us with at his height.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest analogies rush into view: The establishment had won, and made a clear example of the rebels' bloodied hero - all the while sending out a very clear message: 'Do not f*ck with us. Do not try and outwit us. Do not challenge our rule." So that's exactly what somebody in the hacking community decided to do, bigger and bolder than ever before.
Now it is Sony, not Hotz, which finds itself with its pants around its ankles; whilst a rebelliously-minded networking genius probably sits shaking, stunned at his own lawlessness ...- Search DCEmu
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