2011 has been a tough year for many multi-billion-dollar corporations when they suddenly got a wake up call that their internet security wasn’t as secure as they previously had thought. Hacker groups like Anonymous, Lulzsec, and others would turn their attention to the likes of the FBI, Google, Fox and Sony. Though each company was targeted somewhat differently, the most public of all the attacks was conducted on Sony which resulted in the company having to shut down their PlayStation Network for over a month, resulting in losses in the hundreds of millions. The company would eventually make it up to fans by offering free games, services and identity theft protection. Soon after, the company would go on a massive offensive to shore up their many different websites. Sony’s sheer size in terms of divisions (ie: Sony Electronics, Sony Pictures, PlayStation, Sony Music/BMG etc. etc.) and the fact that they operate in nearly every country with a dedicated website has played against the company and their efforts to better secure their domains and services.

Enter Philip Reitinger, the former U.S. Department of Homeland Security, for the senior vice president position. “Certainly the network issue was a catalyst for the appointment,” a Sony spokesman said. “We are looking to bolster our network security even further.” Reitinger is no stranger to the corporate world, having previously worked at Microsoft with the title of Chief Trustworthy Infrastructure Strategist. Reitinger’s job at the Department of Homeland Security was described as:

 Reitenger leads the Department’s integrated efforts to reduce risks across physical and cyber infrastructures and helping secure federal networks and systems by collecting, analyzing, integrating, and sharing information among interagency partners. 

According to the Inquire, Reitinger will report to Nicole Seligman, executive vice president and general legal counsel for Sony US. They believe that Reitinger will not only work on the enhancing Sony’s security among their many services but that he may also be potentially tasked with tracking down some of the people behind this year’s attacks. Of course, that is purely speculative on their part and cannot be taken as the truth on the situation. However, this should be a welcome addition for Sony as the company continues to push further into the cloud with services like Music Unlimited.

[Via Reuters]