As I was playing a game, I was booted out and got the following message:
CE-35285-3: (User's name) has signed in to PlayStation Network with another PS4 and has been logged out of this PS4.
The error booted me back to the sign-in screen, after which I clicked into my account, probably booted out the hacker, and had about 10sec to look around, after which hacker booted me out again by logging back in under my account. I quickly signed in to playstation.com to change password, after which I, so far, was not booted back out, but then another problem was that I couldn't make my sole PS4 the primary PS4. The following error displayed when I attempted to do that:
CE-35323-6: Cannot activate this system as your primary PS4. You have already activated another system as your primary PS4 with your account. To activate this system, deactivate the other system.
This is what made me really worried, as I couldn't deactivate that PS4 because someone else who I do not know had activated it as their primary. When I follewed the steps listed on one of the links mentioned below after talking to support, I realized that this person had already used my 1 deactivation/6months limit, so I was unable to deactivate all devices from my playstation.com account. Thus, I had to do the deactivation request form. Still, I have some questions that the support staff did not make clear nor make me feel any more safe since this happened today:
1. How did my account password get hacked, from where, and when? (They should have a history and thorough hacking department investigation, especially since there are only 2 computers within my home from which I have ever accessed the playstion.com network and my sole PS4, all through the same IP).
2. How do I know that the hacker won't just stay up 24+ hours on meth or some other drug that affords them sleeplessness in order to beat me to the activation once those 24 hours are up and my deactivation request is fulfilled? As a follow up, will both PS4s have to log back in, and will that log in be based on the new password I set?
3. I also feel that there needs to be more password protection, and, as such, think there should be more safeguards online, such as answering a security question when on the same page for 20min or requiring an email to be sent to the user in order for any new activation. That would have prevented this whole thing, as I would have denied activation and reported the specific activity. Why isn't such a system, which is used for many change-of-status situations online, i.e. new subscription to email list, new log-on from a different computer, etc., not in place for the PS4 and PlayStation Network in general, when the system is so connected?
Thanks for all who read this. I'll update the results after the 24hr request has been fulfilled. I really hope to upgrade my security settings, which I thought I was already pretty keen on. Below you will find my conversations with support via live chat. Maybe they'll be useful.
Gabriel: Hello, My name is Gabriel how may I assist you today?
Me: I believe my account has been hacked
Gabriel: I'd be happy to look into that hacked account for you today so you can get back online.
Gabriel: Please send me the following:
- Sign In ID: (email)
- Online ID:
- First and last name:
Me: So, I've been able to get back online by, immediately after realizing it, changing my password on Playstation.com, but there are still weird things I'm worried about
Me: yes, of course
Me: (Response edited for forum)
Gabriel: Thank you. One moment while I access your account.
Me: Okay
Gabriel: May I know your concern?
Me: First, as an initial step after changing my password on playstation.com, i was unable to designate my only ps4 as my primary ps4
Me: i wanted to do this because, even though i never played on my account elsewhere, i wanted to make sure it couldn't be usurped
Gabriel: I see.
Gabriel: I would be happy to help you with that today. I can't do it for you, but you can follow this link for step-by-step instructions on how you can deactivate game content yourself using the following instructional link:
https://support.us.playstation.com/articles/en_US/KC_Article/Deactivate-Consoles-Via-PC-Website
Or, you can submit a request for a Specialist to deactivate your console.
You will be notified within 1 business day with a response.
Here is the link to the online request form:
http://us.playstation.com/deactivate
Me: right now, after having selected make this PS4 my primary ps4, it says i have already designated a different ps4 as my primary ps4, and i must deactivate my other system, which i don't have
Gabriel: No worries, use the steps I gave you above to deactivate it.
Me: i can't, because the person who must have hacked my playstation has already deactivated it using that procedure which says can't be repeated within 6 months
Gabriel: In that case use the second link to submit a online request form.
Gabriel: Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
Me: so....what's going to happen
Me: ?
Gabriel: You need to submit the online request form, and allow 24 hours for a response.
Gabriel: Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
Me: i guess not. what is the link to get live chat assistance in the future?
Gabriel: Here: https://support.us.playstation.com/SCEA_Landing
Gabriel: Have a Great Day. Thanks for chatting with us.
Elsy: Hello, My name is Elsy how may I assist you today?
Me: Hello Elsy, I recently talked to Gabriel about being hacked and not being able to designate my Playstation as the primary PS4
Me: He referred me here: https://support.us.playstation.com/articles/en_US/KC_Article/Deactivate-Consoles-Via-PC-Website
Elsy: Oh I see yes Hi! i understand, for the deactivation right?
Me: Unfortunately, I had to go the "Deactivate Request Form" route because under my account it said I can only deactivate once every 6 months and my PS4 was already deactivated
Me: Mind you, I did not deactivate my PS4, so who ever did it now has theirs activated as the Primary PS4 under MY account, even though I can't see who this extra PS4 belongs to
Me: and I can't deactivate theirs because I am not there to deactivate it
Elsy: Oh I see well do not worry, I see, I’ll be happy to look into this for you today. Before we proceed would you be so kind to confirm the following information:
- First and Last Name
- Online ID (Nickname used on PSN)
- Sign-In ID (Email on the account)
Me: (Response edited for forum.)
Elsy: Thank you. for the information user, in this case due to the consoles were deactivated recently then you can submit a request for a Specialist to deactivate your console.
You will be notified within 1 business day with a response.
Here is the link to the online request form:
http://us.playstation.com/deactivate
Me: Okay, but if this person has my account details to utilize the time period when theirs is deactivated before I can, what am I to do?
Me: Like, if they manage to stay online on my account from their first use of my password, however they got it, which they used to deactivate my account to begin with, what is stopping them from being the ones to get to reactivate their PS4 under my account before me?
Elsy: Oh I see well we have a department in charge of this situations, once you deactivation is completed they will be locked out from the account.
Me: Is anyone looking into this, as in looking at IP addresses and comparing who has had ownership of this account and PS4 the longest (Me) and who is now hacking into it (the person who deactivated mine as primary)?
Me: But how do we ensure that I am not accidentally the one who is locked out if the person who hacked the account reactivates their PS4 first?
Elsy: Well do to you have the information of the account you just need to sign in back to the device you have to get access again.
Me: So, once all PS4s are deactivated after the request is fullfilled, to be able to activate a PS4 under my account requires logging back in with the new password I created?
Elsy: That is correct, using the email and the password you have to sign into the PSN.
Me: okay, so, just so you know, the first error that occurred that made me aware that this happens is CE-35285-3, which said that someone else logged in under my account elsewhere which is why i was returned to a home screen. Why isn't this error code in the database when I search for it?
Me: Second error code was when I tried to make my PS4 the primary one, which said I couldn't do so because another PS4 was already primary and I'd have to deactivate on that console in order to make my PS4 the primary (CE-35323-6). Why is this error code also absent from the database?
Elsy: Well in this case was because the account was hacked and you were kick out from the PSN, after that due to was activate it in another console as well then you get the second error code. And we try to add error codes depending of the situations in the public data base sometimes you will not be able to find them all, but do not worry please follow the instructions and fill out the request to we can start the process of deactivation you will no have problems about it later, Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
Me: no, but i will be posting this too the forums, so thank you