PSN Account Security Concerns
PlayStation fans are questioning the security of their PSN accounts as yet another prominent community member had their account hacked and stolen.
Over the weekend, a prominent member of the PlayStation community, known as RealRadec, claimed that his PSN account had been hacked. He noted that the hackers had changed his login info, including his email, effectively locking him out of his account. He also stated that the PlayStation support phone number was offline, leaving him without anyone to contact for assistance.
The situation mirrored one that happened to noted PlayStation podcaster Colin Moriarty earlier this summer. Moriarty had his PSN account stolen from him during a livestream, prompting some panic. However, given Moriarty's status in the PlayStation community, he was able to raise a lot of noise and receive assistance from various connections at Sony. Moriarty confirmed during a stream on Monday that he lent that same assistance to Radec, as the two have collaborated on Moriarty's podcasting network, Last Stand Media.
This all led to Radec getting his account back, but he was quick to note that he may not have been as lucky if he didn't have a platform and connections.
"It would be foolish of me not to acknowledge that this was dealt with as quickly as possible because of the position I'm in," said Radec. "Not many people have that reach, and I am fully aware of that. This is a problem that has been brewing for a long time now at PlayStation. No one deserves to have their account stolen from them and lose access to all of their games, DLC, save data, trophies, etc. It's not right. This needs to change."
Widespread Issue and Resale Market
Over the last few years, various PlayStation users have reported being hacked. It has also been reported that accounts are being stolen and resold online for hundreds of dollars, allowing nefarious buyers the ability to take someone else's digital games, trophies, and data.
I got my account back. I want to thank everyone who reached out to me offering their assistance, advice and words of encouragement. It genuinely meant a lot.It would be foolish of me not to acknowledge that this was dealt with as quickly as possible because of the position I'm in. Not many people have that reach, and I am fully aware of that.This is a problem that has been brewing for a long time now at PlayStation. No one deserves to get their account stolen from them and lose access to all of their games, DLC, save data, trophies etc. It's not right. This needs to change.
How Hackers Bypass Security
Moriarty reported in May that hackers can provide otherwise mundane information (dates of PSN transactions, names, birthdays, and email addresses) to PlayStation support to prove their identity and gain access to accounts. Moriarty's producer and co-host, Dustin Furman, stated at the time that someone they trusted was able to replicate this on two accounts to prove it was more than just a theory. They went on to state that this allows hackers the ability to circumvent security methods like two-factor authentication.
Implications for Digital Gaming
It's an ongoing issue, and one that has resulted in a lot of fear as players rely increasingly on digital libraries on PlayStation platforms. If users do not have adequate safeguards, it could create continuous issues unless PlayStation addresses its account security protocols.
