Sony makes good on offer of free ID theft protection for PSN usersNearly a month and a half after taking the entire PlayStation Network offline following a devastating security breach, Sony says it will turn the lights back on at the PlayStation Store by “the end of this week.”

Online multiplayer matches and PSN services such as Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, and MLB.tv had already been re-activated earlier this month, but online money-changing remained on ice as Sony “implemented considerable security enhancements” and finished “testing of the payment process and commerce functions.”

Of course, whether the PlayStation Store (where PlayStation 3 gamers can buy and download games, add-ons, console wallpapers, and movie rentals) actually opens its doors again by the end of the week remains to be seen, especially after the company missed previous deadlines to resuscitate the hacked network.

Subscribe for free tips!

Subscribe for free tips!

Get free tips, how-tos and deals from here’s the thing delivered straight to your inbox each week.

Thanks! To confirm your subscription, please click the link we just sent to your mail inbox.