Sony acknowledges unauthorised access to its internet provider So-net in Japan

Sony Network Communications, the Sony subsidiary that runs the internet provider So-net in Japan, acknowledged on Tuesday 27 October unauthorised access to its systems, 3DJuegos reports, based on the company's statement.

According to that report, the access took place on 19 October and was detected on 23 October, when the company disconnected So-net's servers and cut off communication with the attackers. Those affected would be 2,141,986 So-net members and 443,495 users of the Plala (S Course) fibre plan.

The exposed data include names, telephone numbers, email addresses, identifiers, dates of birth, sex and internet access identifiers, according to 3DJuegos. Valid email passwords of 54,401 customers and bank account details of 16 people, without the PIN, would also have been exposed. The company apologised and said it is continuing to investigate the cause.

Story not yet confirmed: The Post Apocalyptic has not been able to open So-net's official notice and the figures come from a single outlet. The method of the attack and who carried it out are not known.