What You Need to Know About the Sony Hacks
From North Korea to Lizard Squad, here's the latest.
— -- Sony isn't having the best month when it comes to digital intruders.
The entertainment and electronics company suffered today from what appeared to be an attack on its PlayStation Store. Sony Computer Entertainment in Tokyo told the Associated Press that the problem, which left the store inaccessible to some users, has been fixed.
Sony stopped short of calling it a hack and said the cause of the problem was under investigation
It was the latest blow to Sony, following an attack that disrupted its computer system and leaked confidential information online, including unreleased movies.
Here's what we know right now about both incidents:
Lizard Squad Claims Responsibility for PlayStation Disruption
The mysterious hacker or hacking collective known as "Lizard Squad" tweeted from its account "PSN Login #offline #LizardSquad."
In a statement to ABC News, Sony said "the ability to access our network services was temporarily impacted due to a distributed denial of service attack. We have seen no evidence of any intrusion to the network and no evidence of any unauthorized access to users' personal information."
It's not the first time Lizard Squad has claimed to have hacked PlayStation. In the past, it has claimed credit for taking down a number of high-profile targets, including the Vatican's website, Sony's PlayStation network, Battle.net and League of Legends.
North Korea Releases Statement
North Korea was considered by security officials a suspect in the large-scale hack against Sony last week, possibly due to "The Interview," an upcoming Sony comedy that centers on a journalist who has been given a secret mission to kill the country's reclusive leader.
Over the weekend, North Korea released a statement denying responsibility for the attack but said it may have been carried out by a person or group sympathizing with the country.
"We do not know where in America the Sony Pictures is situated and for what wrongdoings it became the target of the attack, nor [do] we feel the need to know about it," a statement carried in state media said, according to the Associated Press.
"But what we clearly know is that the Sony Pictures is the very one which was going to produce a film abetting a terrorist act while hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership of [North Korea]," it said.
Sony did not respond to ABC News' request for comment, however, the technology website Re/Code reported that the company called the hack "unprecedented in nature," and an "unparalleled crime" that was likely carried out by "an organized group."