14 DAY TRIAL // Sony Online Entertainment has just confirmed that some of its PlanetSide 2 European servers have been hacked, with unauthorized individuals gaining access to the encrypted account data of many players. As a result, Sony has reset the passwords of those affected by the cyber-attack.
Hacking is a constant danger for online games and it seems that not even Sony Online Entertainment with its many years of experience in running MMOs can protect itself from this threat, as the company has just confirmed that some of its PlanetSide 2 European servers have been hacked.
The company posted a special announcement on the game's website, confirming that unauthorized individuals have gained access to encrypted user data, including their email addresses or passwords.
"We have ascertained that there was recently unauthorized third-party access to one of our systems. The possibility that your data (Email address and password) has been accessed by an unauthorized third party cannot be excluded. We were able to detect the problem promptly and took all necessary action to rectify the issue."
Even if the data is encrypted, Sony has decided to reset the passwords of players whose accounts were accessed by the hackers.
"Your account data is encrypted with us for your security. Nevertheless, we have decided to take preventative measures in order to ensure the highest degree of security. All accounts that may have been subject to unauthorized access have received an e-mail in which we have requested the user to change their password."
Sony also recommends PlanetSide 2 players to use secure passwords and refrain from re-using them in other online games or when using different other services on the web.
"The security of your data is of paramount importance to us and we are continually working to ensure that our systems always comply with the most up-to-date security standards."
You can expect Sony to continue upgrading the security of its PlanetSide 2 servers in the future.