The data breach of Sony, including PlayStation Network and more recently-discovered Sony Online Entertainment, attracted the attention of Congress. Sony decided not to appear personally at a data theft hearing, but Kaz Hirai has given the company's official response, which implicates the hacker group Anonymous for the attacks.

In a letter to the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade (summarized on the PlayStation Blog), Hirai explains that the hackers left a calling card. "When Sony Online Entertainment discovered this past Sunday that data from its servers had been stolen, it discovered that the intruders had planted a file on one of those servers named 'Anonymous' with the words 'We are Legion'," Hirai explained. Read more »

The hacker group "Anonymous" announced it has ceased its cyber attacks on the PlayStation Network, and apologized for inconveniencing users, in a post on AnonNews. "We realize that targeting the PSN is not a good idea," the post read. "We have therefore temporarily suspended our action, until a method is found that will not severely impact Sony customers."

The group argues that it's on the side of the customers, and only aiming at Sony. "If we did inconvenience users, please know that this was not our goal," it says. "This operation is a response to Sony's attempt to deprive their customers of products they bought and therefore own, wholly and completely. Anonymous will not attempt to fight this by following the exact same course of action." Read more »