Sony, who is struggling to get their Playstation & Entertainment Networks back up and running, have now said that they believe the hacker group Anonymous was behind the recent attacks on their network.Meanwhile analysts and fund managers are calling for the sacking of Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer who during his six year reign at Sony has failed to deliver any break through products or financial gains for the struggling Japanese company.
Overnight fund managers in both the UK and Japan have called on the Welsh born CEO to resign over the hacker attacks that have compromised tens of millions of credit card details and left the Sony Playstation network crippled.
In recent days shares in the company have slid to their lowest levels since July 2009, dropping by 4 percent this week, because of concerns the company will lose customers to rivals such as Microsoft and Apple if customers lose confidence in its online security.
And for the first time since their Playstation and Sony Online Entertainment networks were hacked, Sony has revealed that intruders had planted a file on one of their network servers named ‘Anonymous’ with the words “We are Legion.
Anonymous has vehemently denied any part in the hacking of Sony’s online networks.
Insiders at Sony have told SmartHouse that moves are being made to dump Stringer who has remained remarkably silent over the hacking attacks despite his penchant for publicity in the past.
The man seen as a potential successor to Stringer, Kazuo Hirai, is not without his own problems as he was the architect who led the development of the Sony Playstation Network that was not only easily attacked, but has since been identified as lacking in several layers of security.
Financial market executives claim that round the world including Australia, Sony is struggling to compete up against the likes of Google, Apple, and Microsoft in the gaming market and Samsung in the home entertainment market.
The once mighty Japanese brand has delayed their year end financial report until the 26th of May with several analysts tipping that profits will have slumped in the last quarter due to problems in the Japanese market and a move to discounting products in markets like Australia.
“The way Sony handled the whole thing goes to show that it lacks the ability to manage crises,” said Michael On, a fund manager at Beyond Asset Management in Taipei. “The current chief executive should step down after the hacker problems and the company’s failure to push out products that are competitive.”
Investors said Sony had botched the data security crisis, a further blow for the company, which has struggled to match recent hit products from rivals including Nintendo, Samsung and Apple.
Stringer, a 69-year-old former TV producer who was knighted in 2000, has not commented on the security breach, leaving Hirai, who is now the company’s deputy, to lead a news conference and apology on Sunday. Stringer in March committed to stay in his role for the current year at least.
Beyond Asset Management fund manager, Michael On, said: “The current chief executive should step down after the hacker problems and the company’s failure to push out products that are competitive. The leadership of Sony is not in a good place right now. This could lead to Stringer stepping down and may sabotage Hirai’s chances of succeeding as chief executive.”
