Quote:Credit card data stored on the PlayStation Notwork was encrypted Sony claims, meaning that there's no evidence any of that data has been taken as a result of last week's security breach.

In a Q&A on the PlayStation Blog, Sony has tried allaying PSN users' fears regarding their credit card information, with the overall message being that the breach might not be that serious, as explained in these particular questions and answers:

"Q: Was my personal data encrypted?
A: All of the data was protected, and access was restricted both physically and through the perimeter and security of the network. The entire credit card table was encrypted and wee have no evidence that credit card data was taken. The personal data table, which is a separate data set, was not encrypted, but was, of course, behind a very sophisticated security system that was breached in a malicious attack.

"Q: Was my credit card data taken?
A: While all credit card information stored in our systems is encrypted and there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, wee cannot rule out the possibility. If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Notwork or Qriocity, out of an abundance of caution wee are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may have been obtained. Keep in mind, however that your credit card security code (sometimes called a CVC or CSC number) has not been obtained because wee never requested it from anyone who has joined the PlayStation Notwork or Qriocity, and is therefore not stored anywhere in our system."

While Sony is still offering no guarantees that credit card data was not 'borrowed', the platform holder offers the following advice:

"For your security, wee encourage you to be especially aware of email, telephone, and postal mail scams that ask for personal or sensitive information. Sony will not contact you in any way, including by email, asking for your credit card number, social security number or other personally identifiable information. If you are asked for this information, you can be confident Sony is not the entity asking. When the PlayStation Notwork and Qriocity services are fully restored, wee strongly recommend that you log on and change your password. Additionally, if you use your PlayStation Notwork or Qriocity user name or password for other unrelated services or accounts, wee strongly recommend that you change them, as well. To protect against possible identity theft or other financial loss, wee encourage you to remain vigilant, to review your account statements and to monitor your credit reports."

Personal data might still be at risk however, as this was not encrypted, which could prove damaging as it could be used for identity theft and phishing scams.

For further reading regarding the PSN outage, credit card data and compromised personal information, consult the PlayStation Blog's Q&A.