Sony agrees to $15m settlement in 2011 PSN data breach suit

Sony has agreed to a preliminary settlement of $15m in a class action lawsuit regarding its 2011 security breach.

The data breach – which resulted in the theft of names, addresses and possibly credit card data belonging to 77m PSN user accounts – had previously earned SCEE a fine of 250k from the UK Information Commissioners Office.

"If you are responsible for so many payment card details and log-in details, then keeping that personal data secure has to be your priority," the Information Commissioner’s Office’s deputy commissioner David Smith said.

"In this case that just didn’t happen, and when the database was targeted — albeit in a determined criminal attack — the security measures in place were simply not good enough."

While still pending a judge’s approval, the settlement offers plaintiffs benefits such as free PS3 and PSP titles, free PS3 themes, free subscriptions to PlayStation Plus, free subscriptions to the Music Unlimited service and free SOE Station cash.

Polygon further reports that claims made by folks who didn’t already participate in PlayStation’s "Welcome Back" package will be honored on a first-come, first-serve basis (subject to an aggregate cap of $6m).

Those who did participate in the "Welcome Back" package will be eligible to receive one game benefit, a theme benefit or a PlayStation Plus subscription benefit (honored on a first-come, first-serve basis and subject to an aggregate cap of $4m).

Additionally, Qriocity account holders who did not have a PSN account at the time of the breach are still eligible to receive one free month of Music Unlimited service, while SOE claimants are eligible to receive $4.50 worth of "station cash" to be credited to the claimant’s user account.

The final fairness hearing is set to be held on May 1st, 2015. Sony has yet to issue comment on the matter.