The Extent Of Sony's PlayStation Network Security Practices Are Unknown At This Stage.

The investigation will aim to discover whether Sony correctly protected users' data. Their findings could ultimately absolve or damn Sony depending on the practices the platform holder had in place at the time of the attack.

"The Information Commissioner's Office takes data protection breaches extremely seriously," ICO told Eurogamer this morning.

"Any business or organisation that is processing personal information in the UK must ensure they comply with the law, including the need to keep data secure.

"We have recently been informed of an incident which appears to involve Sony. We are contacting Sony and will be making further enquiries to establish the precise nature of the incident before deciding what action, if any, needs to be taken by this office."

There's no evidence that any credit/debit card information has been obtained yet, but Sony has warned its customers to take necessary precautions against any such actions. Users are irritated that Sony didn't come forward sooner, but the platform holder has responded that it needed to carry out a full investigation before making any kind of announcements.