Sony CEO Howard Stringer has issued a formal apology to those affected by the downtime caused by the hacking of the PlayStation Network and Sony Online Entertainment’s network services over the past couple of weeks.

The PSN has now been closed since April 18 and SOE’s services since May 2 following a security breach that left over 70 million user accounts and personal details compromised.

In the letter, which begins “Dear Friends,” Stringer reiterates Sony’s dedication to investigating the problem and ensuring that the servers are totally secure before being brought back online.

“We are absolutely dedicated to restoring full and safe service as soon as possible and rewarding you for your patience. We will settle for nothing less,” reads the letter.

He assures users that he doesn’t believe any credit card information has been used for fraudulent activity and that all US PSN and Qriocity customers will receive complimentary identity theft insurance policies, as well a month free membership to PlayStation Plus and extensions for those already signed up.

“As a company we — and I — apologize for the inconvenience and concern caused by this attack,” says Stringer. “Under the leadership of Kazuo Hirai, we have teams working around the clock and around the world to restore your access to those services as quickly, and as safely, as possible.”

In the letter, Stringer confirms much of the information we've already received through official channels regarding the breach. Sony previously revealed that it believes hacker collective “Anonymous” were behind the breach, though the group has since stepped forward to deny any involvement. The PlayStation Network is due to be up and running “in the coming days” reveals Stringer.

Source: PlayStation Blog