Will Sony's new Playstation Networks' security measures work?

Sony has now begun to restore services for its online Playstation Network, allowing Playstation 3 and PSP gamers to play multiplayer games as well as other services that have been down since a cyber attack made Sony shut down its services on April 20. But the big question remains: Could all of this happen again? In a press release announcing the restoration of the Playstation Network, Sony goes over the added security measures it says it has put in place for the online network.

Among the updates, Sony said it has been "adding advanced security technologies, additional software monitoring and penetration and vulnerability testing, and increased levels of encryption and additional firewalls" to the Playstation Network. It also said it has added "an early-warning system" into the network that will look  "for unusual activity patterns that could signal an attempt to compromise the network."

Sony also revealed that it has been working with anti-virus company Symantec on its Playstation Network restoration. The press release quotes Francis deSouza, the Senior Vice President, Enterprise Security Group for Symantec, as saying, "In working with Sony on the move of their data-center, it's clear they're implementing measures to reduce security risks moving forward." Sony also announced it has brought in Fumiaki Sakai, the president of Sony Global Solutions Inc., to become the acting Chief Information Security Officer of SNEI. He will be in charge of the efforts to "reinforce overall information security across the company's network infrastructure" until a permanent chief has been selected.

Sony Playstation's worldwide head Kazuo Hirai said in the press release, "We want to assure our customers that their personal information is being protected with some of the best security technologies available today ..." While that may be true that kind of statement could also be seen as a challenge to hackers to go after the Playstation Network once again. If that happens we will have to see if Sony's new online security measures will actually work.