California firm and Alabama man file class action suit against Sony over PSN breach

By Stephany Nunneley

A class action lawsuit was filed against Sony today over the security breach of PSN users personal information.

Filed in SCEA’s home state of California at the request of Kristopher Johns, 36, of Birmingham, Alabama on behalf the millions of PSN users, the Rothken law firm has accused Sony of negligence for not taking “reasonable care to protect, encrypt, and secure the private and sensitive data of its users.”

Johns claims Sony did not notify him or other PSN users of the fact their personal information was compromised due to the PSN breach, and due to the the lack of prompt notification, customers were unable “to make an informed decision as to whether to change credit card numbers, close the exposed accounts, check their credit reports, or take other mitigating actions.”

The lawsuit request free credit card monitoring, along with monetary compensation and requesting class action status.

Yesterday, after Sony announced the possibility that users information could be obtained for nefarious purposes, Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal expressed to Sony his worry over customers not being notified in a more prompt manner. Like the class action suit filed today, Blumenthal asked Sony to voluntarily provide customers with data security services, as well as free access to credit monitoring services for the next two years.

Sony’s statement yesterday admitted that between April 17 and 19, all personal information stored on PSN was obtained by and “unauthorized person”.

You can read the full complaint in a lovely PDF against Sony over on CNET.

Thanks, RipTen.

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