PlayStation 3 hack could be online within weeks

Tue 26 Jan 2010 8:02am GMT / 3:02am EST / 12:02am PST
HardwarePublishing

iPhone hacker George Hotz breaks Sony's console, opening system to piracy, backwards compatibility and other operating systems

Sony Computer Entertainment

Sony Computer Entertainment is a Japanese videogame company specialising in a variety of areas in the...

playstation.com

Notorious iPhone hacker George Hotz has apparently cracked Sony's PlayStation 3, opening the console up to pirate and homebrew software.

Hotz, who spent five weeks working on the hack, told BBC News that he did it out of curiosity, and is likely to post details online as soon as he's completely finished his work.

"It's supposed to be unhackable - but nothing is unhackable," said Hotz. "I can now do whatever I want with the system. It's like I've got an awesome new power - I'm just not sure how to wield it."

Hotz hasn't cracked the entire system, but claims to have accessed the root key, with a method using "5 per cent hardware and 95 per cent software". "You can use hardware to inject an insecurity and then you can build on that," he detailed.

"PS3 is the most secure games console ever released," said Richard Leadbetter, editor of Eurogamer's Digital Foundry blog. "The modchip makers have been puzzling over it for years, other hackers have tried their hands at reverse-engineering development hardware and all attempts to turn retail units into the debug ones (opening the door to piracy) have also failed.

"The security on the Blu-ray games has never been cracked either. All bets are off now if hackers have access to the system right from the moment it boots."

The hack could allow users to run alternative operating systems on the PlayStation 3, as well as play PlayStation 2 software and pirated games.

"I'm not going to personally have anything to do with that," said Hotz. "To tell you the truth, I've never really played a PS3. I have one game, but I've never really played it."

Sony said that it was "investigating the report and will clarify the situation once we have more information."

Hotz unlocked the iPhone when was he was 17, opening it up more than one network, and posted details online for others to take advantage of.

15 Comments

Stephen Northcott
Senior Consulting Engineer

The scary thing about this is it could give Sony a reason / excuse to adopt a more XBox Live style of service for PSN.

Posted:3 years ago

#1

Stephen McCarthy
Studying Games Technology

Kingston University

it was only time before someone did this.
Like giving a toy to kids and one of them will find out how it works.

Posted:3 years ago

#2

Berislav Jozic
Reporter

...or it is a sign that Sony has finally gottenthe costs down enough to make selling PS3s profitable...

I have yet to see a hardware maker being hurt by making the hardware open to piracy.

e.g.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ip...

Edited 1 times. Last edit by Berislav Jozic on 26th January 2010 9:41am

Posted:3 years ago

#3

Alex Wright-Manning
Talent Acquisition Manager

The Creative Assembly

I think Sony are likely to go down that road regardless. Sure it's a good selling point for them at the moment, but once the install base reaches a level where they're actually making a profit, the USP of PSN being free to use won't be worth half as much as all those lovely Yen they'd garner in subscription fees. I'd love to see it remain free, but being the old cynic I am; I just can't see it staying that way, and as Stephen points out this could be a perfect excuse/reason/initiative (delete as appropriate).

Posted:3 years ago

#4

lee mauroner
Analyst

Sony will begin a 'premium service' of some sort on the PSN akin to Xbox Live Gold. It might offer more options but based on the numerous surveys and business models that have been floating around it will cost slightly more than the average $50 that Gold charges. The name 'Qriocity' has been rumored as the possible name of the premium service. <a href="http://bit.ly/8GQ9WF
">http://bit.ly/8GQ9WF
</a>

The free PSN service will remain but look for it to be phased into a similar mold as Silver while still offering multiplayer access. If I could bet I'd say expect an announcement at E3 or Leipzig this year.

Edited 1 times. Last edit by lee mauroner on 26th January 2010 1:14pm

Posted:3 years ago

#5

Alex Wright-Manning
Talent Acquisition Manager

The Creative Assembly

Thanks for the input Lee; very interesting. However I can't see them not moving multiplayer to a premium service. Let's be honest the main reason that anyone accesses PSN or XBL is for multiplayer, so I'm not sure what they'd acccomplish, or what they'd offer to make this premium service a worthwhile option for Playstation users.

I hope this doesn't turn into a fanboy mudslinging match. ;)

Posted:3 years ago

#6

Stephen McCarthy
Studying Games Technology

Kingston University

I hear that there is not a lot of people who play online so who will take it?
and if they take the free multiplayer access, it may kill the online play on ps3

Posted:3 years ago

#7

Christopher Bowen
Owner, Gaming Bus

As a consumer, I would stick with PSN games if only because it offers multiplayer. I can't play Multiplayer on XBox - or do anything, really - without a Gold account, so if Sony can at least keep that, they can monetize it however else they like. As it stands now, Live is a paid service - as a journalist, this angers me, as I am required to use Gold to do my job - and even then, they still shove commercial advertisements down my throat every chance they get.

As for this hack, this is nothing a mandatory firmware update won't get around. I know this person has said that it's not something that can be fully patched, but if Sony can find a way to brick consoles that use the hack, I think they'll do it. Personally, I'm very interested in making my PS3 backwards compatible, but that's about it.

Posted:3 years ago

#8

Joseph Marlow
Blogger http://gamesburp.com

Retro compatibility is something Sony should have opened up by now. If not on disc then at least as a download as, reasonably priced, it would certainly make money.
Then again the option to play PS2 discs may be a selling point of the premium service thereby eliminating costs to move a games library onto PSN.

Though moving multiplayer to premium accounts would be on a par with XBL, it would make a lot of sense to keep it free as it is an advantage over the 360. Plus I find it unlikely they will take away from free users, rather they will add content for premium ones.

Posted:3 years ago

#9

Reco Hasan

"leipzig" is the city, where the "games convention" used to be held every year. since last year the convention has moved to cologne and has been renamed to "gamescom"...
i wish y'all would stop call it "leipzig".
or do you hear anybody call the e3 "los angeles" or the tgs "tokyo" ?? i bet not.

Edited 1 times. Last edit by Reco Hasan on 26th January 2010 2:39pm

Posted:3 years ago

#10

Daniel Nilsson

Pan Vision

Berislav Jozic: I think Sega would object to you last statement.

Posted:3 years ago

#11

Werner Nemetz
Loc QA Lead

Activision Blizzard Ireland

The hack takes mainly base on a software level from what is written in the article, Sony should be able to block that out with a firmware update once they know exactly how it`s done.

As a long time PC player I`m not happy with those "premium" online options where you have to pay extra to fully be able to play a game for that you already have paid 50-60 bucks. Understand the point for MMOs, but not for games where you might want to jump into a few rounds once or twice a week.

Posted:3 years ago

#12

Peter Bond
Studying Art & Design

University of Bedfordshire

Don't worry, nothing will come of this news, as Sony will probably buy, erm hire the guy! :)

Posted:3 years ago

#13

Adnan Abdagic

The exploit has been published:
http://geohotps3.blogspot.com/2010/01/he...

Edited 1 times. Last edit by Adnan Abdagic on 27th January 2010 3:48am

Posted:3 years ago

#14

Tigran Hovhannisyan
Studying Marketing and Organisational Behavior

Macquarie University

I think it will be pretty similar to PSP case. Numerous firmwares and again hacks, and so on. I try to the bright side from the customer. If the hack will be available, more people will buy ps 3 with hope to pay much more less for game or even just download it. However, the fact that the production cost of ps 3 is high, the the main profit coming from the game sales percents, Sony should think something clever.

Posted:3 years ago

#15

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