Sony Says It's Investigating Two New Possible Hacker Attacks
Sony Corp., targeted since April by hacker attacks that have compromised more than 100 million customer accounts, is investigating two new possible intrusions.
The company suspended its Brazilian music entertainment website while it looks into a possible breach, it said today. Sony also is investigating a hacker group's claim that it stole data related to the company's game operation.
Sony fell in Tokyo trading, extending declines amid attacks that the company has said may cost 14 billion yen ($174 million) this year. Japan's largest exporter of consumer electronics reported the new attacks two days after saying hackers had broken into its European unit's website. No customer information was accessed during that intrusion, Sony said yesterday.
"Sony may face a bigger expense to strengthen its security system if these hacking issues are prolonged," said Hideki Yasuda, a Tokyo-based analyst at Ace Securities Co., with a "neutral" rating on the company's shares. "The company's brand image may suffer, pressuring sales." Sony dropped 1.5 percent to 2,031 yen at the 3 p.m. close of trading in Tokyo, reaching the lowest since March 2009 and extending its loss this year to 31 percent. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 0.7 percent today.
