Sony appoints security head after hacks

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Sony has appointed a chief information security officer (CISO) – a position it promised to fill after the notorious hacks devastated the entertainment giant in April.

Philip R Reitinger has been handed the job and will take control of Sony’s global data security and privacy business.

“As Sony Group's top information security executive, Reitinger will be responsible for assuring the security of Sony's information assets and services,” the electronics firm said.

“He will oversee information security, privacy and internet safety across the company, coordinating closely with key headquarters groups and working in partnership with the information security community to bring the best ideas and approaches to Sony.”

Reitinger has held a number of major roles in various US Government departments, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defence and the Department of Justice.

He also worked for Microsoft as director of the Redmond giant’s Trustworthy Computing division.

The appointment comes over four months after the hacks on Sony, which saw information belonging to over 100 million people compromised.

Sony was forced into upping its security significantly following the criticism it faced after the hacks.

In addition to promising to employ a CISO, the PlayStation creator introduced extra data protection and encryption systems, alongside automated software monitoring and configuration management to help defend against new attacks.

All in all, the hacks have proven costly for Sony. It will be hoping the saga will be forgotten sooner rather than later.

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