Sony Online Entertainment loses 12,700 credit cards, 24.6 million accounts compromised

The fires at Camp Sony continue to be stoked, as Sony Online Entertainment has announced it has lost 12,700 customer credit card numbers as the result of an attack on its infrastructure, which saw the breach of approximately 24.6 million accounts.

"This information, which was discovered by engineers and security consultants reviewing SOE systems, showed that personal information from approximately 24.6 million SOE accounts may have been stolen, as well as certain information from an outdated database from 2007," a press release revealed today.

As reported earlier today, SOE pulled the plug on its online service after it had learned of the attack late last evening. Today, SOE revealed the grim truth behind the situation: "approximately 12,700 non-US credit or debit card numbers and expiration dates (but not credit card security codes), and about 10,700 direct debit records of certain customers in Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain" have been lost. Apparently, according to the SOE release, the content was from "an outdated database from 2007."

Of the nearly 13,000 lost credit cards, 4,300 are allegedly from Japan, with the remaining aforementioned countries making-up the difference.

Sony Online Entertainment links the situation directly to the ongoing PSN attack, which has forced the PS3 and PSP online service offline since Wednesday, April 20. As neither service is connected, it is unclear how the two situations are linked, considering Sony had previously said the SOE services were safe.

Sony notes it is currently working "with the FBI and continuing its own full investigation while working to restore all services." The full press release from Sony Online Entertainment is available to read at SOE's official site.