Sony Responds To PS3 Hacks

Network updates planned to combat console security breaches

[Chris399]

So I would assume that they can track firmware mods through online use, but they're reluctant to say "how" (for obvious reasons). Could be as simple as a checksum (I'm not a programmer, so any input on this would be excellent). So good luck with trophies or multi-player games then, should you chose to use CFW. I guess you could play on pirate servers, but really, who wants to play cheat fests?

I hope that everyone who mods their console, especially via firmware knows that you potentially expose any personal information on the device or associated network to theft. So there's that to consider too. Having been a victim of fraud myself, I refuse to take such risks.

[DualConsoleOwner]

It is true that Sony cant change the root keys. but that doesnt mean Sony cant combat piracy.

They can make life harder for hackers and pirates.

Also, as a last resort, they can ban pirates and brick their consoles same as MS did.

@I find if funny.

it actually isnt hard to detect that you are pirating games.
detecting cfw maybe bit difficult, but detecting piracy is DEAD EASY.

[fail0verflow]

Sony will fight, they have me on their side :)

[I_find_it_funny]

I hope they can ban people from online somehow, but it's gonna be hard now that pirates have presumably full control of the console

[Iamback]

Crush them Sony!

[Red_Orange_Juice]

it's all rumors and speculations :P

[Krypto]

Goodluck to SONY! Game developers deserve all the money they get (well maybe not all of them) lol

[Commander_TK]

I'm siding with the hackers. I haven't liked Sony's decisions these past years. They used to be awesome, but I don't know what happened to them. Maybe because of Microsoft releasing the 360 earlier than expected, and then Sony had to change everything.

[ct03]

The hate against custom firmware is so ridiculous. Everybody who is upset now must have applauded Sony for taking away Linux? Because Sony can do no wrong, eh?

[rockleex]

And lets look back at WHY Sony took away Linux.

Because POS like Geohotz wasn't satisfied with Other OS and kept hacking it to try and access more parts of the PS3, which threatens the PS3's security.

Sony had no choice but to force people to now choose between Other OS, or PSN.

The update that Sony released CLEARLY STATES that you'd lose Other OS function if you update.

If they truly cared about Other OS, they would have chosen NOT to update. And hackers should have chosen NOT to hack the PS3 through Other OS to begin with!

[rockleex]

@Chris399:

You don't even have to run CFW in order to be potentially exposed to identity theft.

The hackers now have the key to sign anything they want including viruses, trojans, spyware, etc.

You could be using the PS3 Web Browser and get infected. Someone could send you infected messages.

[I_find_it_funny]

Saying that the removal of OtherOS caused the hacking, and they were satisfied enough with OtherOS IS BULLSH!T. They did nothing on OtherOS, I have no respect for those lying ass hackers, they just want FREE GAMES.

Suddenly they woke up and decided to say it was crusial to have OtherOS, lies, lies, lies.

[darksied]

What I don't understand is that it only goes that far (banning of consoles, banning online play, etc.). Why don't the big companies (SONY, MS) report them to the authorities, especially here in the US? Stealing games is a crime, so why not get them jail time? Seriously, the best way to combat piracy is to put them in jail, I think. Nothing else is working. People will say that Sony should like it because they'll get more console sales, but that's bs; Sony will lose some customers (devs, publishers) because of the piracy issue, and so they need to fight it harder. Report these people and their IP's the FBI and have them arrest a few of the pirates. That will seriously make people wonder if it's worth it. Just my .02

[ElementX]

"Sony will fight, they have me on their side :) "

Wow, I think some people take things a little too seriously. I love my PS3 as much as the next person, but god, they're just a company trying to make profits. Why does anyone feel the need to fight for some video game company? It makes you sound extremely obsessed.

[AuToFiRE]

Sony will fight and wont stop, they have every right to fight, eventually the hack will lead to piracy

[Dee_91]

and the plot thickens
lets see what sony do

[Rival_31]

Sony still has my support.

[Christopher]

***it actually isnt hard to detect that you are pirating games.
detecting cfw maybe bit difficult, but detecting piracy is DEAD EASY. ***

This is true.

[RememberThe357]

Because up until now they have kept the console pretty clean. Now, like rocleex has said, the system is open to people completely fucking the rest of us over.

It doesn't make him sound obsessed, it makes him sound pretty cool. Someone else want to try and make sure my consoles doesn't get bricked? Thats pretty cool. besides I don't think that was the way he meant it.

This is actually very serious to the life of the platform. Look how the PSP has died a slow and pathetic death. Software didn't sell because it was pirated and now the platform is a ghost town.

[gta2800]

There's gonna be a back and fourth battle between these hacker pieces of shit and Sony. The hackers have nothing to lose and any bombs Sony drops wont really hurt these hackers. However, in this war there will be a lot of collateral damage and us legit gamers will get caught in the crossfire and in the end we will suffer. Just look at what hackers did with our "Other OS". I hope Sony wins this war and can finish it sooner than later.

[nveenio]

They don't report them to the authorities because they have to prove that something was stolen. Do you think they're going to pay their lawyers $20,000 to prosecute a guy that stole 50 games valued at $2500? Nope. And that's SONY, a company with the money to do it, if they want. They certainly won't prosecute on behalf of third parties, like EA and Activision.

However, if they brick the console, then the user has to buy a new console...which means that they at least recoop so "SOME" money is recovered without lawyers.

[HappyGaming]

OK so people say that Sony could ban people by detecting the 10s of thousands of people who are all playing the same disc (from torrent sites) and than ban anyone who is playing that disc...

But what if you back up discs and return them as second hand copies? or even return them with 30 days and get your money back?

Does that mean that the person who buys the disc also gets banned if you play at the same time as him? Or will not detect that 2 people are using the same disc at the same time?

[radphil]

Gumtrol, it's easy to remedy back out. If that person contacts them with the info of the receipt and actual game, then they can be unbanned.

[I_find_it_funny]

go Sony

[GarandShooter]

@ ElementX

Dude, why can't people just fight for what they deem right and just, without being labeled obsessive, regardless of who the benefactor is?

Do you feel you have to be able to personally benefit from a fight to make it worthy?

Is there no such thing as fighting for ideals?

Kind of reminds of what my mother taught me as a boy, that the only necessary reward for doing a good deed is in having done that good deed.

[dc1]

Very good! Plus Bubs!

[Anon1974]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the hardware have to be modified as well for George Hotz little "hack"? I thought some rewiring was required in addition to his rootkey exploit in order to get this to work.

Also, the guy mentioned that Sony would have to make a hardware change. What's stopping Sony from revising the hardware? They do it all the time in a system's lifespan. Ban existing consoles from going on line if they're using pirated software, fix new consoles - problem contained.

At any rate, circumventing copyright prevention is illegal under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act as well as it's European counterpart. Time to make some arrests! :)

[hiredhelp]

DualConsoleOwner..
Sony has so many options.
It is true that Sony cant change the root keys. but that doesnt mean Sony cant combat piracy.

True they have managed to do this and exploit sony. however this is still awsome not in the way its good that its hacked. but that sony has beaten every console and home pc to date.. and lasted this long.

sony will continue to do fw updates to cmbat this by switching fw will make the hackers continue to counter there fw with CFW.sony however if they take the psp route.

2 things will happen
for now ever new game will check your fw if its old or changed. it want to update your system to new one. this will override any cfw. perhaps force you to downgrade to go back to currunt fw.
secondle any new upcomming consoles could change the board witch they did with psp 3000 and psp go made it very very difficult wich resulted in one thing loss sales.

[zag]

Sony could alter FW keys and encryptions.

Currently the only people saying Sony can't do something have been the hackers and they really wouldn't know what Sony can and can't do.

Currently all this stuff has only come about since the firmware code got leaked so if it hadn't gotten leaked then none of this would have happened I'd say.

I wouldn't be surprised if the root key can also be changed, as these keys only come about by making up a pretend software SPU and and tricking the main MPUs into thinking it's a real one so all these jailbroken PS3's will have that SPU emu on them.

remove that and all these jailbroken PS3's are screw from the get go.

So Sony might force the CELL into only using it's own hardware interconnects instead of allowing any software to be used.

You can always revoke all these hacks as they are only bending the firmware into doing what they want.

Apple could remove all the boot loaders that allow the jailbroken IPhones to happen but then Apple don't have to care much as you'll have no warranty it breaks well you get to buy a new one.

[gamerzBEreal17]

these hackers are doing nothing but harm first take away otherOS and now there pushing back firmware updates because there trying to fix this with them seriously theres no reason for this ps3s doing fine

[Look_Behind]

If you want firmware updates, I bet the Custom firmware updates people make over the coming months will be better than the ones Sony make. Just look at the PSP

[Elvfam511]

Yeah look at the psp is anybody making CFW anymore....

[Look_Behind]

LOL Thats because its practically obsolete, who makes major games for that anymore? Its been out years and has died. Anyway, the latest psp custom firmware is alot better than the latest psp official firmware.

[Christopher]

***So I would assume that they can track firmware mods through online use***

Not sure on that, but they can track the digital signatures of games being used and their source (BDD or HDD).

I'm not sure they can do anything on the network to combat CFW, but they can implement checks and standards to detect 'backed up' games. They just better do it correctly or some innocent might get banned by accident.

[Christopher]

Just to note, this method would only really work for online games. Based on what I've seen so far, they don't have much of a chance of stopping people from pirating single-player games without requiring that everyone 'register' their games online before playing them.

@scissor_runner: Actually, each disc already has a unique digital key on it. Sony already detects this key for the rewards program. We know it's unique since they are able to collect and track what PSN ID and what PS3 system played the specific game on that specific disc first.

This is tracked on the PS3 OS and, when finally connected to the Internet, sent to Sony's servers for collection. But, if a user only gets CFW online and installs via USB, they could technically still bypass the need to ever connect to the Internet and play pirated single player games on that PS3 for as long as CFW is supported.

I agree that CFW is a gateway to identity theft, but it can still be a gateway to bypass Sony's security as well.

I'll be very interested to see what Sony comes up with to combat the piracy.

[N4g_null]

You could put a unique net key on each disk sort of like artst editions. Or keys could be redeemed only onces. Or better yet tie the key to a credit card number.

Ethier way it's not good the keys being out there. The virus potential is crazy. The mass stealing of cc numbers is crazy also.

Seriously I would wipe or request Sony to wipe your card data from their data bases. Other wise I would keep on playing.

So to the pirates you will be at risk also not just Sony. ISos can be made with extra code in them now. This is going to be a huge distraction though.

It's a bad way to end things. I hope this isn't a dreamcast moment. Sony did push other forms of gaming harder than any one else like movie production values. Even though the fans pit them against each other no one should stop you from enjoying them all.

[Chris399]

Yeah, the virus potential is a bit annoying. I don't use my PS3 for anything save closed-network, authorized services (PSN, Netflix, Games). We can stream YouTube and such right off the t.v., thankfully. Still it's a bit scary. Wonder if the phising mails will start. People don't realize how easily information can be obtained, and just how many digital signatures we leave lying around.

[Hudahudahuda]

"Ethier way it's not good the keys being out there. The virus potential is crazy. The mass stealing of cc numbers is crazy also.

Seriously I would wipe or request Sony to wipe your card data from their data bases. Other wise I would keep on playing."

This, along with a crippled PSN is among my biggest concerns. I don't plan on installing any firmware at all, but I am worried that someone might be able to send me a virus through a message that may steal my data or steal my account. I have deleted my credit card info from my account but not sure if I am safe. May stop using the browser aswell.

[gta2800]

I hope Sony can track these people and drop the ban hammer! ha!

[alex3369]

jsut so everyone knows, they CANNOT brick your console. they will get taken to court and the best they can do is ban from psn. They cannot break your hardware for violating online service rules. Look at the xbox, i bet they could easily brick a console and basically end piracy(kinda).They cannot do this because they would indeed lose the lawsuit. Just an FYI

[ziggurcat]

lol what makes you think sony would lose that court battle?

"In order to control the distribution and use of their works, copyright owners are increasingly embedding access (keep you from accessing the work) and copy (control what you do with the work) protection schemes in their digital works. Under section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), the circumvention of these access mechanisms is illegal, with only a few narrow statutory exemptions. The DMCA also prohibits the distribution of programs that can be used to circumvent both copy control and access control technologies.

The anti-circumvention provisions affect the way software engineers, computer scientists, and computer security specialists do their work. But the law also affects how librarians and educational institutions acquire new works, how Internet users can protect their privacy, and even how journalists can report on stories involving technical protection measures. By using a technical device to protect music, images or words the copyright holder can turn traditionally permissible access to or use of digital content into a civil violation. This new law has complex provisions and a few narrow exemptions, which are reviewed in greater detail in the DMCA anti-circumvention provisions FAQ, linked below.

Some activities affected by this law might include:

- manipulating the computer code of a digital toy to make it perform new functions;
- disabling an access control device on the storage media of an entertainment product;
- creating a patch for a software program or electronics product
- performing cryptanalysis on security systems that control access to digital data;"

http://www.chillingeffects....

[LOOK_AT_THIS_I]

so when someone jailbreaks a phone and installs custom firmware and programs not originally designed to run on that operating system can they then sue apple/att/verizon?

If you choose to deviate from the standard operating system and install stuff not intended by the manufacturer than thats on you. Most electronic items especially the toys we enjoy have something to that effect somewhere in the massive online documentation they release with their devices.

I realize that they now allow you a little bit of freedom in how you conduct business on your personal devices but whats to stop sony from putting out massive torrents seeds etc...which will install programs that fragment your hard drive or just deceive potential pirates. Personally that would be one approach I would take if it came down to the dirty work needing done in order to keep people on the up and up.

If they wanted they could just put a bunch of spam in a file that would fill up the size of a blu ray disc that equals the game size to allow people to set themselves out for downloading 5+ gigs of files from a pirate site. this could deter a few individuals if there were a hundred different files to select from and if they had to waste the time and resources downloading multiple bogus files.

[alex3369]

@Look at this im not saying they should warranty if you break something because of unauthorized content. im saying if they bricked your console intentionally they would be taken to court because they cannot cause damage to your console because you modded it. like i said worst case is console ban.

[the_best_player]

Sony is fucked
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[chainer3000]

interesting link, at least.

[Gamer_Z]

I would only pirate Call of Duty Black Ops because its not worth $59.99

[CoLD FiRE]

It's not even worth pirating.

[digitalivan]

This is going to be very interesting. I just hope Sony won't resort to disabling ps3 functions, like updating console firmware via usb.

[Apocwhen]

It wouldn't really matter if they did.
All you would need is a proxy server running locally on your home network to fool it into thinking it was doing it 'Via Internet'

[wissam]

I use the proxy server to legally download large games patches like heavy rain.so you are right.

[rob6021]

true but a proxy server is much harder for the 'average joe' to get working than putting something on their thumb drive and booting up via usb. I do suspect they'll take it away, why do you need to update via usb anyway? - I'd think the latest disks would contain the firmware you need to play them.

[LOOK_AT_THIS_I]

yeah but a hundred schmucks on youtube or hack sites would post tutorials on how to step by step screw over legit users.

look at game glitches for titles like socom for instance. asshats make entire websites on how to glitch, create hacks to change game files and in turn ruin the game for damn near every legit player.

everyone can claim that they only want to run "emulators", video codecs, etc... but in the end you know several jackasses will use this in order to start getting into game files and start using Game Genie/code 9/disc majic type bs that basically ruins a game.

if it wasnt for all the P.O.S. cheaters who "hacked" Socom 2 on the ps2, I would still be enjoying that game to this day along with thousdands of others. Pirates will eventually get caught especially in this day and agem but I dont want this turning into xbox live with all the rampant cheating they have with aimbots and all that jazz.

[the_1080p_guy]

@wissam, dude can u explain a bit about that?I once tried ps3proxy thingy,it didnt work,so i got fed up u know?

I hate piracy,but downloading patches faster via proxy can be bless for my 512kbps line.
btw,i'm on 3.55(as usual)

[ziggurcat]

if they did that people would just whine and complain about how sony's screwing over their customers, make weak "bait and switch" arguments all the while they ignore *why* the decision was made.

[ActionBastard]

I think people underestimate Sony's security experts. They'll bitch-slap this too.

[fail0verflow]

tbh I think those experts just got owned

[ActionBastard]

tbh I think those experts were given blueprints on closing the hole.

@tester They closed jailbreaking pretty quick, regardless how it was obtained. And it had to be stolen, not cracked.

[nycredude]

Failoverflow

Do you every have anything worth reading to say.

Get off these hackers dick. THey aren't the best in the world the best hackers don't advertise who they are. They are just attention whores.

Besides you just said in an earlier post Sony has you on their side so by your admission you got owned.

[ziggurcat]

yes, they sure got "owned".

it only took some low-life douchebag to resort to stealing the SDK and selling it off...

[TheTwelve]

Aye, Action.

12

[testerg35]

I thought it was those "experts" that was the reason the hackers were able to get the key?

[Biggest]

You've never known that people steal from their employer? It isn't something that you can prevent 100% of the time. Those experts made a console that for years was uncracked by anyone for any reason. They are the best in their field by a mile and two inches.

[RememberThe357]

Well lets not forget that the "random number" that was key to their security was 4... Come on... That is a huge f*ck up. After the hackers found this everything else the PS3 had as security fell apart.

[Apocwhen]

I don't think you understand the implications of the private keys being leaked. These things are meant to be uncrackable.
When done correctly these things would take thousands of years to bruteforce with current gen PC's.
This whole debacle is completely different to the recent Jailbreak device that was released.

[ActionBastard]

Oh, I understand. But private keys DO have internal (by internal I mean corporate) redundancies. It can be fixed.

[Spenok]

I hope so, pirates of any kind just piss me off.

[RedRedSuitSDF]

Easy.. I won't update my PS3. Don't have to update it to play games in SP mode. Don't care at all for online MP to play on games like Uncharted 3, KZ 3, Infamous 2 will be fine.

I can't wait! :D HD Loader all over again! Blockbuster here i come!

[SoapShoes]

You will have to keep it fully offline though, you don't need to update your firmware for them to ban you. That's fine, I guess, if you like having less features. Hacking a console to limit itself just in the sake of getting games free. hahaha

Oh and you will have to update to play the new games or they won't work. Plus any DLC or updates to the game(patches) won't be available so you'd be stuck with limited gameplay.

[RedRedSuitSDF]

Of course I'll be able to play new games. You think that I won't? They'd be sued so fast for that. You know how many PS3 people don't have the internet, and still buy a PS3 for playing games offline, and watching blu ray movies? it will be just fine and dandy.

And thank you.. i will have fun playing my games. there's no way they can make it MANDATORY to have internet connection, just to play a game. NO WAY.

@cemelc..... you have no idea what you just typed. I said I don't care for online MP for those games. What does that have to do about checking this article out and caring??? Wha??? Lol...

[seij555]

At mid: the fw comes on the disc, you don't need online.

[Motion]

Yeah, current games already come with the newest versions of firmware on them. The installations are mandatory before playing the game. This is actually a positive thing for legit users who don't have online, letting them also get the latest updates.

[loslonelyman]

By the way, the newest backup managers(jailbreak software) connect to the PSN update servers when you launch a game from the harddrive and give you these updates. They also patch 3.55 and 3.51 games automatically so they work on older firmware. I have three PS3's...so i took one offline just to try this stuff out.Really nice to not have to use discs when your sick in bed,plus i play alot more of my games because they are in two places at once.

[cemelc]

@miDnIghtEr20C

Of course you care, you wouldnt even be in this article if you didnt. Good luck playing half games for the rest of your life.

[MisterAV]

YES, you will have to upgrade to play new games. Remember that an update can be on disc so even if you have no internet they provide you the firmware. So you don't have excuse for not upgrading, if you're not a pirate...

[Inzo]

Sorry but you are wrong, just like with the move demo disk and MNR, sony will place updates into the games and you will be forced to install if you want to play the game,and it is going to happen more often now, I expect LBP2 and Killzone to have updates.

[kane_1371]

all the discs of PS3 and PSP have OFW updates to the required version of the game, not just some selected ones.

[nycredude]

I don't if you guys even play on the Ps3 but how many times you put a game you haven't play in a while in ad there is a manatory update? Alot so year sure when youi first get the game you can play it and everything is on discbut when the update come out you HAVE to update! Meaning you have to be online!

Jesus when was the last time you guys played a game?

[Inzo]

I didnt understand a thing you just said.

[SoSLy]

@nyc

wtf are u saying??

[rwarner174]

I hope someone finds out how to steal your work right out from under you. Funny thing is you are probably in a union who supposedly care about worker's rights. But at the end of the day all people like you do is kill people's jobs.

[Look_Behind]

@miDnIghtEr20C

Im totally with you on this one! So read below...

You do realise you can run unsigned code now?
This mean that people will bring Custom updates what let you install things from a usb like apps n stuff. Also these apps can be signed too; So as far as your PS3 is concerned it is on the latest update running 100% Sony code (even tho it isnt XD )
You (and hackers/devs) now can decrypt the latest Official Sony Update and edit so you can do all of the above and resign it so you can even go on PSN.

The PS3 is compromised, I dont understand why people who dont understand hacking say "Oh Sony will just update it, or fix it somehow." LOL You cant fix it, its been fully hacked.

[TheColbertinator]

Screw Sony on this one.I want real firmware updates to the PS3 such as cross game chat not these lame exploit patch updates

[Dark_Energy]

Your spot on there mate. I hope Sony win and the hackers try something else but I want Sony to realise after all of this to NEVER ignore your fan base.

[blahblah]

actually, all the hacking is been provoked by Sony. and no, I'm not interested in pirating games. not even the least.

but here any dumb fanboy is at wrong. so here it is... somewhat like history of the hack

Promises, promises... before putting PS3 out Sony bragged how their console will be able to run linux and be used as computer (well... if you don't have games at start then brag with anything no one else has)

Reason... they promised linux on that console. i (and 6 of my linux friends) was one of those who bought it day 1 and full price only for that reason or maybe you can add PS2 compatibility as I have >40 games. otherwise i'd wait for price to go down or at least games to show up. if thay'd say "hey, we'll give you some shit that can't do anything" i'd have little respect and wouldn't buy so soon and at that price.

Sad reality... Sony gave something you couldn't even call half assed. No access to graphics and some other parts. I installed linux almost day 1 and god was i disappointed. Even if they'd let some partial access to GPU like virtual graphic card trough hypervisor i'd be happy. for anyone who thinks linux people care more about speed, check how many more people use free open drivers for ATI and NVidia (even though they are 3-7x slower than binaries provided by AMD/NVidia)

Hackers take action... they started working on how to gain access to those parts

Hackers almost gained access to those... but sad reality is that that opened access to some other parts, thus enabling jailbreaking

Sony removes the s*it called OtherOS... but still too late

ok, so now there were 3 kinds of people who were interested with OtherOS.
1) People like me who were simply disappointed reformatted disc with GameOS only and now take every Sony promise with grain of salt
2) People who ran services and didn't need working OS
3) People who were not disappointed, but rather took action. as much as i despise piracy, i despise false PR even more.

as for me personally, I'm just interested in linux on PS3 to gain real network and multimedia access, if someone released NFS connector and application like MPlayer for GameOS, i probably won't even think about linux. one disappointment was too much. and don't say DLNA. DLNA is slow and dumb. DLNA is utter shit.

anyone saying Sony didn't deserve this must be damn stupid. they lied, they got payed, they screwed some of their first customers. one of my friends doesn't even play, machine was half assed for his multimedia (like every linux user he needs OGG/Theora/MKV and so do I), so he sold his ps3 after year of waiting for way less. I on the other hand am avid gamer and so i bought 2 more and >110 games. my original 1 broke and so it went my PS2 compatibility. price for fixing it when i asked was >250EUR. sorry, but hackers are not at fault in my eyes.

[SoapShoes]

The more people keep trying to hack it, the more effort they put on securing it and less effort on big features.... Screw the hackers for making Sony even need to work on this!!

[RememberThe357]

Thats true. Sony doesn't make the money MS does on their online service, so they're inevitably going to have less resources to put into everything we want. The fact is that the more they have to deal with piracy the less us legitimate gamers get.

[Cogan1]

We'd probably get these updates if sony didnt have to focus there efforts on keeping there console secure. This is a disgrace what hackers are doing and i hope everyone that hacks the console gets a full console ban somehow.

[mikegekko]

Dude, we dont even have online invisibilty yet. Sorry, but no, Sony either cant get their act together on software development, or are just dense. Its 2011 and even the most basic feature like online invisility isnt even in there.

[DragonKnight]

Really? The lack of Online invisibility (otherwise known as appearing offline) is an issue for you? REALLY?

*sighing facepalm*

[blahblah]

yea... right

are you stupid? if they had this

int getRandomNumber() { return (4); }

in their code... i'm willing to bet they really done their security checking. RSA with real random number is lesson nr. 1 for security.

they don't put feature like cross game chat simply for memory reasons. watch Stringers presentation before ps3 was released. in game video chat was done at that time already. but now if you fit that in OS... hello... your games have less memory and ps3 only has 256MB RAM

one update promoted that address book is now bigger and can now fit 100 friends???? by god, i'd be ashamed to say this in year 2008

where is away, global chat preferences? i'd simply like to go there and disable everykind of chat by default.

they don't give these updates couse they simply don't care about you as you think they do

[DragonKnight]

I'm sorry to say this but, are you completely retarded?

Colbertinator: You wouldn't think these exploit patch updates were so lame if some pirate stole your PSN information because it was easy for them to do because Sony decided to just leave the PS3 cracked wide open to give you a useless luxury feature like Cross game chat, easily replaced with a brand new invention called a phone, or a PC with f*cking Skype on it. You seriously can't live without having to hear your friend, who is NOT playing the same game as you, talk about how many times he banged his non-existent girlfriend last week? There are more important things to focus on then your inability to use the various other methods of communication available to you.

Dark_Energy: Not listening to their fanbase? Where the hell have you been? In a cave on Mars with your eyes closed and your fingers in your ears? Sony has done nothing BUT listen to the whining of people like you this whole gen and made incredible strides at giving you what you want. You think that coming up with Cross game chat in a way that isn't identical to MS' (who likely have a patent on it, same as custom background music) is easy? You don't remember the article saying that there was a developer who threatened to pull support from the PS3 because the implementation of features like this made their games under perform on the console due to memory constraints or some other issue?

Since you are all such masters of programming, why aren't you working at Sony and delivering these supposedly necessary features you just can't enjoy a gaming experience without? I'm sure Sony would love innate talent such as yourselves to show them how it's done and give them a reason to forget about their console security which helps us just as much as them.

F*ck, I wish people would just think for a change. Common sense has become so damn rare these days it should just be called sense.

[Nineball2112]

Exactly....

[nycredude]

If the proliforation of the internet has proven anything it is that there are more stupid and ignorant people than there are smart people with common sense. There are also definitely more assholes than nice people.

@Apocwhen

Why wouldn't an update for every game out there not possible. I think it would be easier then youi expect. Just update each game with a random key generator link to another key generator and change the keys. I know it's work but it' not much more than what developers do to make these games and it is to assure your game won't be stolen. You have to do what you have to do. THe alternative is to let hackers steal from you. What would you do if people were openly stealing from you.

Edit: I love how every is all of a sudden an expert in hacking and the Ps3. All I hear "they can't fix this", "you can fix this with firmware", "Sony lost" blah blah blah but not one person yet has backed up their idiotic assmption with any fact or reason why they think so. Got a bunch of Knowitalls on N4g. Everyone is a technician now.

[Look_Behind]

@DragonKnight LOL This is the biggest Sony cock sucking comment I have ever seen. You are so un-informed, you enjoy your "video editor" and "text chat" while real devs (people who hacked the PS3) create custom firmwares that support all the features real customers want. In-game chat comes to mind :)

[DragonKnight]

Your name is appropriate because Microsoft spends a lot of time in that area of your body.

See, two people can play the idiot fanboy game. The difference is that, for me, it's just a game. For you, it's your life.

Hackers are not devs. If they were, why aren't they making money working on games or these supposed "real features that real gamers want".

Cross game chat is a useless luxury completely unnecessary to enjoy gaming. If you can't enjoy gaming without it, then you're what's known as a new age gamer. Someone who just started gaming and their favorite console is the 360 by default (nothing wrong with favoring it, but in this sense it makes you an ignorant tool).

Here's some education for you. We gamers that have been gaming for 20 years or more (23 years for me) kind of like playing games, not features. If I want to talk to someone who's playing a different game, you know what I can do? Dial a phone number, use video chat on my laptop, etc...

This has nothing to do with "sucking Sony's cock" and everything to do with morons like you speaking for everyone and thinking we all can't live without some useless little feature that means nothing. You know, unless you're some kind of narcissist that thinks everyone wants to hear your lame stories while they're busy focusing on a game YOU'RE NOT PLAYING.

[blahblah]

nope, cross game video chat is still just a video chat. and MS has no patents on it.

so... what did they listened for? i'm wondering. most people ask for cross game chat, ogg/theora/mkv support and better online global preferences (btw. i want preferences to shut those up once and forever, couldn't care less about chatting). they needed almost 2 years of whining to start working with unreal engine to make it better.

and if you want my PSN access, ask me. nothing personal there. i wouldn't entrust my credit card to machine that i can't trust. and everything closed is untrustworthy in my eyes.

huh, i don't see either of those on my ps3.

[DragonKnight]

@blahblahblah: I reiterate. If you and yours (those who think like you) think it's so easy to implement, go do it for Sony for a buttload of cash. No? Thought not.

You want to know what people whined about that Sony gave? Ok. Let's see here. Trophies becoming a standard in all games (didn't start out that way, Sony wanted to give devs the choice until people whined and Sony made it mandatory). In game XMB, that was a big one. Now it's a smaller in game XMB that people want. Custom background music. Sony has left it up to the devs with this one because it could possibly cause issues for the game, which it has for a few of them. This is also why cross game chat isn't already implemented.

But you know, since you want to have your eyes closed about what Sony has done and brought forward, no amount of features I list off will matter since you will constantly vomit forth "teh cross game chatz" as if it is the end all be all feature. Completely disregarding the features Sony brought forward that people love that they didn't even ask for. Such as video chat.

And like I said several times already, pick up a phone or use a better chat function that is easily available on your computer. It's not hard. I mean, since you really want to not concentrate on the game you're playing and instead talk about something completely irrelevant.

[GarandShooter]

Cross game chat? Wouldn't that just allow Sony to see people using it, know it's a hacked machine and enable the ban hammer?

[tdogg06051991]

I don't understand why Sony can't just resign all their code.

[nikola987]

because all game released until now would stop working :/

[Apocwhen]

Every current piece of software released on the PS3 thus far depends on the private keys that have been cracked.

If you change the private key then all the public keys for each peice of software becomes invalid and will be rejected.

This means every PS3 disc currently out there would cease to function. Releasing updated executables for every title released would be a huge undertaking and won't happen.

[I_find_it_funny]

how about the whitelist of all previously released stuff?

[DFresh]

I think it's too late for Sony to stop the hacking on PS3.
Microsoft couldn't stop people from having Modded Xbox/Xbox 360 consoles.
Seriously once a hacker gets through their almost impossible to stop them.
I'm no hacker but I do know friends who are hackers and they always tell me the same thing.

[rwarner174]

That isn't true. I may be true for past games, but not for new ones.

[kane_1371]

well, SONY isn't microsoft, they have a whole different system.

and the hackers haven't 100% control on system yet.
the processor security is unbreakable, it uses random codes to prevent breach.

Now, the worst case scenario is the Key to open that security wall get stolen too, or, SONY hiding something there that is the last resort.

[ULTIMATE_REVENGE]

Sony just saying this since they were asked the question, but in reality they know it's all over.

New hardware on the way.

[DragonKnight]

Why aren't you rich yet, with a spot on the Fortune 500? I would think with your incredible psychic powers you'd pick winning lottery numbers and go on to conquer every business venture in the world that there is, since you would be able to perfectly predict all kinds of trends and market shifts. Can a borrow a few million dollars?

[NYC_Gamer]

sony might as well just accept the ps3 has been cracked.

[ChristianGamer]

Even if they somehow manage to track and ban these hacked ps3's they cannot disable the hack itself...not through firmware updates.

[Chris399]

We've been over this once before. The hackers themselves (failoverflow) stated this in the BBC interview. New hardware will be impervious to this hack. Of the 46 million or so remaining PS3s, I highly doubt that more than a small % of people will risk banning and not playing their games online to make use of this exploit.

You seem to have an issue with accepting the facts when they don't suit whatever crazy-town agenda you're running with.

[jack_burt0n]

yeah they can its called removing features, its harsh and we will lose out.

but if you want to play uncharted 3 etc sony need game sales obviously.

they could stop all usb storage devices working, and start using a proprietary commercial file system for usb sticks, they could stop all burnt media working lol. harsh but they could.

[rwarner174]

I don't understand why these hackers are not hunted down and have their kneecaps broken? If someone stole my property and I could find them that is what I would do.

[Curtiss]

And then you would go to jail ...

[ReBurn]

I'm not sure you're thought your clever plan all the way through.

[BlackTar187]

gotta get caught to go to jail.

Rule #1 Don't get caught :)

[rob6021]

If you think removing OtherOS put a big target on Sony's forhead - which i don't understand (why wouldn't they go after MS's console since it never allowed linux of any kind and still doesn't) Arresting one of their kind would certainly cause a s***storm of hackers onto their console.

[Kurt Russell]

Hacking and stealing property are different things. Not everybody who hacks a system is in it for play games - playing around with existing tech via hacking is a hobby in itself and you'll be suprised how much better operating systems have been made in this fashion.

Just saying :/

[NavySeal74]

I thought sony would be able to change the key if they ever needed to.

Its to technical for me lol im just a stupid sparkie.

[Karlnag3]

As far as I understand it, basically it's embedded into the system as well as all games. So, if they change it on the system, all old games won't work.

[zackacloud]

aaaahh...

They just afraid us by anything and all of us wont hack his PS3 until see something deserve hack not just free games

[caseh]

Someone correct me if I got the wrong end of the stick on this one, but from what I understand the keys released earlier this week allow anyone developing software etc to digitally sign it so it appears to be official Sony licensed software.

How can a firmware update possibly patch this, as the key is hard-coded into the PS3 hardware. As in, not a region that can be modified...

[joeorc]

all signed software has to go through the secure processing vult..and the hackers are using a simulated secure processing vult to sign their code through..not the real SPE processing vult. they have yet to beak the vult...that would all in likely hood cause these hacker's efforts problems due to the fact there is indeed "TIME STAMPING" encryption...on the PS3 which is far worse to deal with that what they are trying to claim.

changing your firmware on the PS3 is "TIMESTAMPED" throuh the secure processing Vult. the Hacker's are Probing Sony to see how Sony would Access that Vult. but if Sony would Show how to Access the vult they would be able to do it themselves..which is why these hacker's are so cocky in their claim.

but that's the funny thing about that vult. they have yet to crack it and Have no idea what may be on it's way...better yet IBM talked about this very problem when they ,toshiba an Sony designed this security vult...!

an how such an attack..that mimics this very Hack these hacker's are using!

[DanteKnightsTemplar]

interesting....

[jerethdagryphon]

lol the sdecure processing vault is a fun bit of tech, its cut off completly from the rest of the system, and once something is finished in the vault the vault itself s memory is cleared using overwriting to zero, if something trys to send info from inside the vault the vault clears itself of corse thats where the rootkey is opened up fro verification

[Dellis]

This means NEW PS SLIM MODELS are on the way

don't fool yourself, SONY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS

in terms of Network, they just can't, the latest FW update

will be cracked in just a few hours.

[blackburn5]

For those who keep saying that they are glad that the hackers are doing this so they can get 'real' updates instead of the lame security ones we keep getting, did you ever stop and think for a second that if they weren't trying to break into the system all the time Sony could be working on other updates instead of using time a resourses to combat this. But no. Why think at all? Instead just think about useless crap like cross game chatting and how many games you can pirate once they find a way to exploit this. Sony may not be able to stop this but I am sure they can make hell for the people who support this

[MaximusPrime]

I hate hackers

[GigaGaia]

There is absolutely nothing they can do. Also, they probably won't be able to ban you for playing backups online, unless you actually starts cheating. With those keys, signing backups and making it look like you are running the legit copy would be childplay for hackers.

The console is even more vulnerable then the wii right now and there is nothing that can be done. Just wait for the inevitable blast wave.

[joeorc]

is that many on here seems to take every thing these hacker's are saying at face value, with no thought about how they arrived at their Hack. my problem is The SPE secure processing vult talked about this very same hack or less security breach these Hacker's are claiming..but yet they have yet to crack the Physical and still unhacked strongest part of the PS3's security..that's like your in a bank you can take from every teller but you cannot get to what's inside the Vult!

Im not saying that the hacker's are not good or anything like that, im just saying there is one glareing truth to their claim they claim it wide open but yet they have no direct Access to the one security feature that is it's most profound Security feature..do you find that ODD if you have unrestriced access even the secure SPE processing vult would be open, they have the manager's bank key's right?

[GigaGaia]

If you say so. I will say it again: enjoy your online play without cheaters because this is soon gonna change.

Of course, playing backups online without being banned is gonna be a reality pretty soon.

It's over, Sony are completey beaten, there is nothing they can do. Hackers have won, they should just concentrate on making the PS4 harder to hack.

Of course, this was inevitable. They should be happy they lasted 4 years. They had an incredibly good run, but everything must eventually coem to an end.

[GSpartan777]

LOL. joeorc you are by far one of the most intelligent posters on N4G and funny how no one responds to your detail posts because all these people quoting hackers ultimately don't know anything and can only say "hackers said it can't be fixed so stfu."

[Silly gameAr]

You have a crazy amount of confidence in this hack. I wish you and yours the best bud.

[joeorc]

you are 100% right

I mean it's not like these hacker's have had to use external board jumper to shock the PS3's mobo to gain valuable insight of the Memory mapping ..i mean that's kinda strange if software was capable of this without doing that then there would have been no reason to use the board jumper right.

you have a way to map the memory but fail to gain access to the secure SPE vult by external hardware mean's so you have to simulate a Secure SPE processing vult in software only not the Hardware encryption..that is one of the thing's people are overlooking they used a simulated SPE processing key to make a public key!

but..but that is the same key Sony uses ...really?

to say you have cracked the system wide open but yet cannot access the Spe security processor..notice "security processor" I think speaks quite for itself.

[xCaptainAmazing]

Maybe they'll have some "clever" way of detection, but even then, it's wide open so I can't see it taking long to reverse whatever Sony attempts to fix. As said, a hardware change would likely be required, but then games would be running new keys and not run on older consoles (their entire install base so far)?

If that's the case they are going to have to accept this and work on methods of detection other than an actual fix.

And for anyone arguing that it's hackers' faults that we haven't received any good firmware updates for a while, open your damn eyes. They were never going to give it to us anyways. The easy stuff has taken them this long, and it's still not out. Time to move onto something new.

[GigaGaia]

They stopped giving us updates that mattered long before even geohot even messed around with Linux. So it's not the hackers fault, Sony simply doesn't care.

[Dart89]

Wow i feel really smart reading all these comments.But yea hope sony delivers a great blow to these hackers.

[PietroDimeglio]

If i met one of these hackers i would beat the shit out of him. Actualy twat, disgrace to human society. I hope Sony sue the shit out of him.

[DanteKnightsTemplar]

shoot the pirate bastards! Suck fucking nerds, failoverflow. Fucking lame.

[TheTruth89]

I hope sony will develop a tool to detect hacked console, then secretly inject a patch to brick the consoles.
LOL

[rajman]

Sony's fighting a never ending war!

[XabiTheHumble]

Lets see who wins in the end shall we?

[xCaptainAmazing]

Hackers are practically the quality control of the computing world. They kick your beloved companies in the ass to force them to make a better, more efficient, more secure product. Animosity towards hackers is misplaced.

If anything, they've helped Sony in the LONG run. You can be sure the same mistake will not be made again, making future systems even more secure. Short term results are regrettable, but if they really left the back door open, they completely deserve this misfortune. You can be sure it won't happen again.

Look at the Wii... such a joke in so many ways. Piracy is a HUGE problem for them. Do you think they'll slip up as bad next time? Not a chance in hell.

[joeorc]

@t it's core the rub is it not so clear cut an dry..the fact that before you can say you have cracked it open and left as you said the back door open..there needs to be some way to stop them from opening your door you would also make right?

for instance you can Hack a product and make it do some thing's that maybe it was not designed for..right but that is the thing about software, it can be altered, changed and removed and exploited. Hardware is less prone to that problem..right?

but the fact that the Hacker's have yet to gain access to that Secure processing Vult from Outsides means, is quite a problem. How do you access that vult? so they are going to sit there an stop when they have forked some of the PS3's security and stop, short of the largest piece of security on the PS3?

the Secure processing vult talked about such exploit's there is indeed a random key generator inside but also a "Timed Stamp" encryption on there also, an who knows what else. but the fact that they made Private Key's out of a simulated SPE vult means it's made from software not Hardware..software can be changed..Hardware is quite resistant esp. if the hacker's have not gained access to that security of the SPE "secure processing vult"

i mean notice this:
a Sony spokesperson claims that a series of network updates are on the way to combat these developments.

notice that is not just talking even about the Firmware of your PS3! just like any "signed code"
any SIGNED Tracking Token could be assigned to your Machine and you may have to Format your ps3's Hard drive to get rid of it unless it's tied to that IP of your PS3.

Of course i get a disagree cowards..lol

[xCaptainAmazing]

A simulated vult still achieves the desired result, apparently, as that's what has been done. Even if Sony could keep them out of the literal thing with an update, they already have all the information they need to keep this going indefinitely. All current hardware operates the same, they need simply not update their machine. A patch will only keep them out, but they're already in...

[RBLAZE1988]

So are you saying that, using your logic, terrorists make the world go round by flying planes into sky scrapers? I mean ever since 9/11 things have been real secure and I bet it will be a lot harder for something like that to be orchestrated on a similar level again right? It was like a wake up call and that terrorists are misunderstood for murdering thousands of people?

Now I know that is a pretty wild statement but it is relatively like hacking through someones security so that next time that someone will not allow it to be hacked. But then again some other, smarter fellow will come along and hack it and the cycle will repeat in a perpetual circle of bullshit really. Am I to understand that you want terrorist acts to occur over and over again around the world in order to keep on improving security. That's madness.

[xCaptainAmazing]

I stopped reading after the first sentence. The two are not comparable, whatsoever, therefore your point sucks. Sorry.

[RBLAZE1988]

@Captain

Really? They aren't comparable? Well they did manage to hack through our security and ever since then our security has been kicked into overdrive to prevent something else like that from ever happening. You said yourself, that is the same thing that happened with this hack so therefore is comparable in that regard. Now whether or not you read the rest, my point is that geohot did wrong by publishing this key to the public. Maybe my comparison is rather wild but I was merely attempting to link the morality of it all. I don't mean to imply that hacking the ps3 is the exact same thing as flying a plane into a building.

[RBLAZE1988]

The terrorists did what they did and it caused a lot of harm as will this key publication unless Sony find a way to fix it. It will cause a lot of games to be pirated that is all I was trying to get at. Geohot didn't release this hack so sony will be better prepared for their next console. It will happen as a result but it is still a malicious action I think.

[loslonelyman]

By the way, the newest backup managers(jailbreak software) connect to the PSN update servers when you launch a game from the harddrive and give you these updates just like if you pop in a disc(Heavy Rain Move stuff etc..). They also patch 3.55 and 3.51 games automatically so they work on older firmware. I have three PS3's...so i took one offline just to try this stuff out.Really nice to not have to use discs when your sick in bed,plus i play alot more of my games because they are in two places at once. I buy all my games,so i had one PS3 that literally sat idle for 9 months and decided to see this hacking stuff first hand. I really have ZERO problem with legit software buyers having two ps3's and making one an offline gaming rig. We put our Move controllers on this one and the kids go into the backroom and play my 45 games endlessly and never do i have do put discs back in case :-)

[lugia 4000]

Yea, what are they going to do? Change the root key? Or make the random number actually "random" now?
Only a new PS3 could fix this issue.

[Soldierone]

Funny how confident people are with it not being "fixed." Sony can fix it, they just need to change paremeters and what not and it will take time. Even if they don't "fix" it, They will still ban every single hacked PS3 on the market from getting on PSN along with other things. id laugh if they started stripping those PS3's apart and banning them from certain features.

[BrianC6234]

I have to laugh at the part that these morons are staunchly anti-piracy. Right. We don't do the dirty work. We just give you the tools to do it. It's not our fault. I hate all of these idiots. They don't care if what they do ruins gaming for the rest of us as long as they can play with their toys. They need to be hunted down and taken care of. Call in some Navy Seals Sony.

[Ps_alm3k]

Sony: Next firmware update!

Consumers: No thanks!

SOny: Oh did we tell you... It the haz cross game chat!

Consumer:.................... .............

Sony: check mate!

[Soldierone]

Even further down the road

Sony: Oh BTW if you attempt to update a hacked PS3, no cross game chat for you. Thanks have a nice day.

[Hozi89]

Personally, I am a supporter of this CFW thing, but also SONY. I have plans to get 2 PS3s, one for CFW and one for Sony alone. Simple as that.

[BrianC6234]

Supporting hackers means you support the end of gaming. These consoles aren't sold to let you play around with homebrew crap. Get a computer for that. The companies make consoles to play games on. If hackers make it easy to steal games it will kill gaming. That's a big problem in the PC gaming world already.

[ashcroft]

The end of gaming? Wow, what a drama queen. Tell that to Microsoft and Nintendo, they both outsold the PS3 and have been hacked long before the ps3.

The nintendo DS is one of the most hacked/pirated handhelds and it's outselling the crappy psp.

Some people need to chill, it doesn't affect the gamers and it will never change the way we play games.

[ASSASSYN 36o]

Negative ash. Ms and nintendo have been hacked but their security keys have not been exposed like sonys has. Their is no full and complete unrestricted access on the 360 or wii. If you try to downgrade the OS on a 360 then a fuze will trigger to blow forcing a shutdown of the console. That cannot be hacked or circumvented.

[Hozi89]

@BrianC6234
You could say that but really, I am still buying my games original....I will have 2 ps3s and I'll play all my games on the unhacked ps3. I'm only interested in cfw because I'm curious to see what the hacking community can bring to the table. I believe it would be great if we can get custom firmware that everyone wants, other os support. and dozens more neat apps to use.

I live in Trinidad and Tobago...If I were to buy a good gaming computer that would cost me at least $15000tt and it's 6tt dollars to 1us dollar.

Minimum wage is $12tt here. Also, to keep up with upgrading my pc would be ridiculously expensive.

[rob6021]

I always detect that hackers want systems to be heavily pirated so hopefully their favorite developers will go back to creating PC exclusive games that push the latest video cards.

[Hitman0769]

That was a weak response from them so you know they are gonna open a can of woopass on those nerds

[ASSASSYN 36o]

Unless that can is made of magic what exactly do you think they can do. I will give you a hint. It starts with N and ends with a g.

[edoman20]

EEEEEEEEEEEEPIIIIIIIIIICC FAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLL

PS3 is DOOOOOOOOMEEEEEDDDDDDDDDD XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Good for me XD

[assmonkey]

I'm not sure what i think about the PS3 being hacked. Hows, this gonna benefit the game industry?

[Graphics]

Payback is a bitch!!!!! Sony was never on my side when my ps3 ylod or when they sold me a bugged psn game that did not work. I'm tired of supporting aholes. All these companies deserve this crap for being greedy SOBs. For me gaming has already been ruined because its become more on how to scam the consumers. I hope these hackers bury all these consoles to the ground.. At least I can benefit as a gamer for once this GEN!

[rob6021]

I don't think you realize that they're still in the hole from PS3. I'd hardly call it greedy, they've given hardware away at a loss in record amounts this gen - I'm sorry to hear about your console breaking down and having a bad PSN game (I can assure you most people don't have these problems); it's more like keeping the PlayStation brand alive so they can have a PS4, and we don't all have to buy Xbox LIVE for a $100 a year next gen.

[Ryutamashiisan]

Graphics i think u have some issues to work out besides ur problems with Sony...

[CharlesDCI]

I love how people are acting like downloading network updates is such a chore. lol

[lizard81288]

should be interesting how this develops. Nintendo has done alot to stop piracy, even made a new batch of IOS, but that just slowed them down.

they could pull a M$, but even a few days later, a work around surfaced.

i doubt they can stop it, but sony did do a great job from keeping the gates closed, but now, the gates have been blown off.

[xCaptainAmazing]

Exactly. Even if they can close the hole, the damage is done. We already know what's inside, so being able to get to it anymore is unnecessary. Private keys, bitches.

It's like a kid getting a present for Christmas and opening it early. His parents scold him, and lock it away in something impenetrable until Christmas day. But, the kid already knows everything about his present. It doesn't matter that it has been re-hidden.

[ASSASSYN 36o]

You can have all the faith in Sony you want with this issue. Reality says Sony cannot do a damn thing about their security keys being in the open. They can't change them, cancel them, or detect whatever has access by them until the damage if any is done.

[rataranian]

No. No more updates. I'm putting my foot down now. I will no longer update my firmware just because Sony is fighting "piracy". I'm sick of doing that every two weeks. They screwed up to begin with and took away the otherOS feature. Even if hackers want to play free games, thats another issue. Fact is Sony gave us otherOS, then took it away. They gave us bc, then took it away. Don't stick up for a company that screws you over. F them.
You want a war, I'll give you a war you'll never believe!

[Soldierone]

You are blaming Sony? Its not their fault, its the hackers fault. They all know they are doing this for illegal purposes and its stupid. They walk around pretending like they are doing it for a bigger reason, when we have yet to hear one.

[rataranian]

I think I'm just torn between and let down really. We now have to pay the price of the hacks. I just figured Sony would have been better than this. I give them credit for holding off hacks for this long, but it seems like now they're becoming helpless to stop it other than taking functionality away and constant updates. What went wrong? Maybe a new hardware design is needed. Just seems like they're making us suffer because of this. :(

[joeorc]

"A simulated vult still achieves the desired result, apparently, as that's what has been done. Even if Sony could keep them out of the literal thing with an update, they already have all the information they need to keep this going indefinitely. All current hardware operates the same, they need simply not update their machine. A patch will only keep them out, but they're already in..."

No it does not look at it this way..you have the desired result's short term right now but the fact is you cannot have a completely open system if there is way's an means to stop you from keeping it open.

Like you said

"Even if Sony could keep them out of the literal thing with an update, they already have all the information they need to keep this going indefinitely."

that's with Any Hack though..the point being how long will it take them to overcome one of Sony's new exploits on their code..?

Like i stated before this is not JUST based on Software with encryption! unknown what the result's will be due to the fact that there is many thing's these Hacker's would also have to account for like signed tokens installed into your Harddrive by means of your very owned "signed software encryption" remember if you can sign code so can they. the point is as soon as they have another trouble..they have to find the root of that problem , which than creates more problems.

The fact that for all we know Sony may have rootstamped the XMB to a time stamp encryption of software running through your PS3's Cell processor SPE" even though they use a simulated secure SPE the code still runs through the SPE vult for aunthencate. you downgrade your XMB too much and that would be like showing to Sony your system is a beacon for being that it's hacked. and thus your system get's banned from PSN on a result of your SPE processor put's the SPE's inside your PS3 into secure processing mode not just one but all of them! at the same time so only one that IN ACTIVE MODE IS the PPE.
I mean this is straight fom the FailOverFlow team member:

Marcan42

"The PS3 signature fail is neither an exploit nor a bug (in the PS3 firmware). The XKCD "return 4" function that we showed is (essentially) part of the code that Sony HQ runs to sign games, it's not in the PS3 FW. No one can create a new metldr (for an existing console). Not even Sony (unless they have that console's key stashed somewhere)."

http://www.ps3news.com/PS3-...

notice this:

No one can create a new metldr (for an existing console). Not even Sony (unless they have that console's key stashed somewhere)."

[Trroy]

Lol. Public keys are encoded in firmware, not hardware.

Where does Hotz get the idea that the private key can't be changed, and new public keys distributed from a new fireware release?

[Laeto256]

Just an important point many people are backing Sony because - they are against VIDEO GAME PIRACY. If you want to mod the OS, firmware, w/e yeah do what you want but when you start pirating games? Um yeah that's where people have problems. Video game piracy is more serious than movie or music the cut in profit is much more severe. And yeah i see Sony doing simple steps in detecting and removing pirates. You can't avoid PSN and it's checks, the fact that you AVOID a check is a red flag itself.

[Laeto256]

one more point - while they cant change the hardware...you can certainly change how PSN's encryption works.

[MultiConsoleGamer]

Too little, too late.

This is PSP / Dreamcast all over again.

There's no putting this genie back in its bottle. And some people don't care about online or trophies. They just want to steal games.

PS4 incoming...

[kirajc]

Lol without online, there is no point to this.... sony has a way to know if the player is using a genuine ps3, I know it

[HoofHearted]

There's only one way to deal with hackers like this. You cut off their hands. No hands, no hacks.

[jerethdagryphon]

replace hands with heads and i agree , nomatter how you look at it its theft those keys are sony property if i spend the time to open a combination lock by trying every combination ive still stollen someons combo.

[VaddixBell]

Could Sony block running any code from USB drives...by removing the option to update Firmware by USB, could Sony prevent people from using CFW by making internet and games the only way to change firmware and just block any other apps running from USB so the only options are the disc drive to run homebrew...?

I'm not a tech guy, I'm just asking.

[madpuppy]

Personally, I hope they ban every modified console from the PSN.

I am not the best online gamer in the world but, I don't want to deal with cheaters and such.

what is the allure of cheating in a game anyway? what satisfaction does someone get out of winning a game without skill or good fortune? what fun is there in that?

[denero1]

i havnt updated my firmware im still on 3.40 to keep other os

i just got a new ps3 one for other os one for playing online woot lol

[jerethdagryphon]

i kind of wish sony would just take there ball and walk off , recall all ps3s on shop floors recall all games cancel all indevelopment games and post a note saying cause your not satisfiedv with what you have you can be satisfied with nothing, kill ps3 and start over on ps4 for launch in a few years as an online only streaming machine

[jerethdagryphon]

@ below true but it would be good to see them basically point the finger at the hackers and say blame them its there fault

[denero1]

they cant do that yet to much was invested in the ps3 to just toss it away

[akanote]

I ain't even mad, took them 4 years. what is it 10% of people have the balls to mod there systems?

[Close_Second]

The attitude of some people is incredible. Basically if they don't get what they want they thinks it's ok to take it.

[sam2236]

Why can't Sony just allow homebrew? 95% of people mod/hack their consoles to use homebrew and the other 5% are the poor dickheads who can't afford to buy their games so they resort to piracy.

Look at the homebrew on the PSP and Wii for example. The things you can do on them are great and with something as powerful as the PS3, the homebrew possiblities are endless!

Custom dynamic themes.
Instant messenger (The PSP has one, so why not?).
Emulators.
OtherOS.
The ability to play other video files.
The ability to listen to .FLAC and other HQ/HD audio files.
Streaming music in any game like the 360.

Are you seriously saying you don't want all that?!! Look past the piracy bullshit, FFS, because homebrew is NOT piracy.

[jerethdagryphon]

why homebrew itself isnt the problem its what homebrew enables thats the problem

if sony was to have released a program that was a mini dev kit for ps3 that let you progragam your own games from the ground up not a a gamemaker type thing
and even allowed sharing of those betweeen anyone else with it
it still wouldnt have stopped hackers, sony did a huge ammount to limit the desire for hackers

they had linux they have non region locked games freeonline

but that wasnt enough, dont fool yourself

why the people who originate the hacks may noty desire piracy thats what 99% of the users of those hacks wants thats what all the tools will be turned to
hacking is like a policeman leaving a loaded firearm in his car whyile he goes inside a donut shop, and some violent thug takes his gun to rob the liquor store next door just cause it isnt meant for it wont stop it as for your suggestions
none of that i desire what i want is a system free from cheaters theives and attention whores

[Killzoned]

Sony needs to hire GeoHot lol

[MWH]

Fifteen men on the dead man's chest--
...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest--
...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!

[Chucky2003]

they are lying,Sony can't do shit about this,updates can't fix the problem,only a new hardware with a different security,and will not happen

[THC CELL]

why are people moaning about online, a report player will be in place and as soon as that happens the ps3 will be scanned by sony and any code or screenshots out of place will get him banned.

Dont think for a second sony was not ready for this.

[madpuppy]

I agree with you, I hope that Sony permanently bans every console from the Playstation network that has a modified firmware. I wouldn't give them one day to play anything on the network. keep the honest consumers of Sony's products safe from the scumbag cheaters and virus makers.

I would love to see the face of one of those smug little b@stards when they try to play a game they have modified for them to win every match, be banned the second they log on to PSN. and ban I mean baning the hardware to NEVER be able to connect to PSN ever again.

[DirtyLary]

Thanks for screwing over gamers world wide and developers pirate lemmings.

... and you call yourselves gamers, just a bunch of cheap bastards.

Go change your hobby to knitting or something your EDD check can afford.

[ATi_Elite]

When i start to see 30gb PS3 games being downloaded on torrent sites then I will say the PS3 is cracked but until then the PS3 is still pirate free.