Nintendo says it was hacked but users safe
NINTENDO has revealed it is the latest victim of online hackers after a security breach at a US data centre.
The Japanese firm said it had experienced a “possible hacking attack” but said no customer or company information was accessed.
Nintendo will be desperate to ensure it is not drawn into a crisis like the one that struck Sony last month, when personal details of over 100m users were stolen by hackers.
A Nintendo of America spokesman said: “The server contained no consumer information. The protection of our customer information is our utmost priority… We constantly monitor our security.”
It is not yet clear who is responsible for the breach, which occurred a few weeks ago. However, hacker group Lulzsec yesterday claimed responsibility for an attack on Nintendo on its Twitter feed.
Lulzsec is the group that broke into servers that run Sony Pictures Entertainment websites last week, and claimed attacks on US media giants PBS television and Fox.com.
Last week the Obama administration said it would consider cyber attacks from other countries as an act of war.
The US is increasingly worried by attacks, believed to originate in China, on the email accounts of its government officials and military suppliers. Google in particular has come under sustained pressure from foreign hackers.
Meanwhile, Nintendo is expected to unveil the successor to its hit gaming console the Wii tomorrow at the E3 games showcase. It will be the first home console to enter the market in five years.