The “vast majority” of Maltese PlayStation users did not lose sensitive credit card details when their personal data was compromised during a massive security breach suffered by Sony, Forestals has confirmed.

Forestals, the local Sony agent, said the only access to PlayStation stores – from where thousands of local players buy games or films – is through a prepaid voucher system available through Forestals and Matrix outlets.

This means that PlayStation users who used the legitimate channels never had to divulge personal credit card details to Sony’s PlayStation Network, which connects PlayStation 3 consoles to online games and films. Last month hackers stole the personal data of about 100 million users of PlayStation Network. It is not clear whether credit-card details were also stolen.

Figures released by Sony showed that 15,144 Maltese accounts were compromised.

Something that is usually perceived to be a disadvantage for Maltese PlayStation addicts – the absence of a store in Malta from where to buy games, films and updates – turned out to be a blessing. It meant local users could not buy games directly using their credit card details.

“We can therefore confirm that all our online customers, who we estimate make up the vast majority of the 15,000 affected... only access the PlayStation store through the prepaid voucher system available through us, and their credit-card details are therefore not compromised in any way,” said Etienne Borg Cardona, Forestals’ finance group director.

“There will obviously be some local users who have accessed the PlayStation store on their own steam and outside the authorised channels. We understand that some of these have been contacted by local banks,” he said.