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Sony share price tumble following hack into PlayStation store
The continuing cyber attacks on Sony are beginning to make investors nervous, as shares in the tech company fell significantly for the first time since the hacks on the tech company began on 24 November.
Sony’s share price had stayed steady since the breaches began, yet after the official PlayStation store was brought down by hackers on Monday, the price fell 4.56 per cent on Monday to $21.15 per share.
Visitors to the PlayStation store are greeted with the message “Page Not Found! It’s not you. It’s the internet’s fault.”
A group called Lizard Squad has taken responsibility on Twitter with the message “PSN Login #offline #LizardSquad”.
The group has previously taken responsibility for hacks on the Xbox online network.
The PlayStation stores outage follows an attack on Sony’s Hollywood studio, Sony Pictures Entertainment, last month. Confidential corporate files including employee salaries and social security numbers were posted online, before a series of unreleased movies were leaked.
Events took an insidious turn when a group who claimed responsibility for the initial attack, the Guardians of Peace, sent an email to Sony Pictures Entertainment employees threatening them and their families.
However, the source of attacks has not yet been identified by Sony. North Korea has denied any involvement in the hack but described it as a “righteous deed” that could have come from sympathisers of the nation.
In a memo to staff Sony Pictures Entertainment chief executive Michael Lynton said:
While we are not yet sure of the full scope of information that the attackers have or might release, we unfortunately have to ask you to assume that information about you in the possession of the company might be in their possession. While we would hope that common decency might prevent disclosure, we of course cannot assume that.
