Cyber Incident Victim: PlayStation Network
Date:
Aug 2014
Location:
United States of America
Summary
A cyber-attack disrupted Sony's PlayStation Network and other gaming services, including Xbox Live and Battle.net, through distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) techniques that overloaded systems. The incident coincided with a bomb threat targeting a flight carrying a Sony executive, prompting an FBI investigation. Conflicting claims emerged regarding responsibility: one Twitter account referenced Islamic State motives demanding an end to bombings, while another hacker linked to Anonymous asserted the attack was to expose vulnerabilities in Sony's infrastructure. Multiple gaming platforms experienced server unavailability and connectivity issues, with some services stabilizing after mitigation efforts with internet providers.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 2 motives | 2 techniques |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On August 24, 2014, Sony's PlayStation Network experienced a significant distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack that forced the service offline for much of Sunday. The disruption coincided with similar attacks targeting multiple online gaming platforms, including Microsoft's Xbox Live, Blizzard's Battle.net, and Grinding Gear Games' Path of Exile servers. Xbox Live users encountered server unavailability issues when attempting multiplayer connectivity on Xbox One consoles, while Xbox 360 players faced problems with Diablo III's party chat functionality. Blizzard confirmed Battle.net's instability stemmed from DDoS attacks affecting World of Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo III services, though mitigation efforts with internet service providers improved stability. Grinding Gear Games acknowledged Path of Exile's server issues via Twitter, attributing them to a DDoS attack.
The attacks intersected with a bomb threat against American Airlines Flight 362 carrying Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley, who had tweeted about combating the DDoS shortly before boarding. The Dallas-Fort Worth to San Diego flight was diverted to Phoenix after an online threat claimed explosives were onboard. A Twitter account claiming responsibility for the gaming outages repeated the bomb threat, linking attacks to demands that "kuffar [non-believers] stop bombing ISIL." This account alternatively criticized Sony's alleged underinvestment in PSN services. Another individual associated with the Anonymous collective separately claimed responsibility for the PlayStation Network attack, posting purported evidence while disputing the jihadist-aligned claims. Sony confirmed FBI involvement in investigating the flight diversion, though the Bureau hadn't issued public statements. Smedley tweeted that justice would pursue those responsible but declined further comment. Service disruptions persisted across multiple platforms as companies worked to restore stability through ISP coordination.