So what does everyone think of the PS3 security leak?

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-ps3-security-in-tatters

A group have people have figured out the PS3's code checking formula. Which means they can write any kind of program or custom firmware they want and the PS3 will think it's an official Sony product/program. Basically the PS3 is potentially a completely open console now.

idk

I'm interested. I wonder how Sony is going to handle it.

According to all sources, they can't handle it. They either ignore and hope it doesn't make that big a dent in sales (it should probably boost console sales really, especially in pirate-happy territories). Or rewrite their authorisation codes, effectively rendering every piece of software released to date unplayable.

I really hope they don't do the latter. I wouldn't put it past Sony as they actually started removing features from the PS3 to prevent piracy. I will be so very pissed, I don't want a crappy slim.

They can't do the latter as they'd have to replace every single PS3 in the world, it would be a huge financial hit.

I'm totally going to get into this when people start making homebrew apps, there's so much you can do with a modded PSP and this has a lot more power behind it so I have high hopes. To be honest I'm not that interested in the piracy aspect although I might end up doing the same thing as I do on PC, that is pirating stuff that I'm not totally sure I want to buy and then using that to make up my mind.

Yeah, since it doesn't require altering the PS3 in any way, and the custom firmware would be, for all practical purposes, officially licensed code, it would be incredibly easy to get into this. Too easy really, which is what's slightly scary about it. Someone proficient enough at programming could make any kind of custom firmware they wanted, slap Sony's authorisation code on it, and any PS3 in the world would run it without any need for modding.

First time I've heard about this...

I don't really understand the implications, so I have no real opinion on the matter.

Watch credit card fraud sky rocket. As they have full access to your PS3 they will have free reign to do anything with your accounts and such. This isn't like the good old days, there's personal information and such available everywhere.

Also Sony could just release patches which remove all previous patches and firmware on your PS3, lots of effort but they could do that in theory.

We'll find out if this is actually true later.

There was all that rubbish about a hacker who had hacked the PS3 over a year ago and he hadn't.

Superbuu3 wrote:

Watch credit card fraud sky rocket. As they have full access to your PS3 they will have free reign to do anything with your accounts and such. This isn't like the good old days, there's personal information and such available everywhere.

Also Sony could just release patches which remove all previous patches and firmware on your PS3, lots of effort but they could do that in theory.

While it's possible that someone could make an app that, if installed, would send them all the info saved on the machine it would still have to be deliberately put there by the user. Also it's not possible for Sony to fix this with patches, it would require a new hardware revision that would literally make every game that's already been released useless.

Kimarous wrote:

First time I've heard about this...

I don't really understand the implications, so I have no real opinion on the matter.

It means piracy on the PS3 is not only now incredibly easy but also practically impossible to detect, since the pirated software and custom firmware will all have Sony's authorisation codes on them.

A_Nonny_Moose wrote:

custom firmware

You don't even need it, there's literally no possible way for the system to tell that the app wasn't made by Sony themselves.

They might release an update that screws it up. Thats what the Wii does.

They have the money, they have the technology they can do it.

Normally, I wouldn't support piracy, but this seems to be the only way for non-Japanese speakers to play most of the Tales games as now they're getting translation patches...

I don't care at all for free games/DLC and other stuff. I'm only worried about people using cheats for online play.

No, this isn't a software thing like all the Wii and 360 modding, this is ingrained in the hardware. It is, in fact, specifically designed to be immune to change by software to, ironically, prevent piracy and abuse.

EDIT: That was directed at Ace's post.

huh, And here I thought DL'ing fanmade themes would be the highlight of my PS3 modding. XD

I am worried that online gaming will be effected, also the PS3 userbasee will most likely end up with more retarded people on it then were on it previously.

Also with the account stealing stuff i mentioned, it wouldn't be hard for people to stealth put on things that stole such information under force pretences.

My dude already jailbroken his ps3. Only homebrew is available for use with the ps3 atm. Emulation for games would be the only reason for me having a hacked ps3.

Online hackers will run abundant though....just look at MW2 online.

This brings me back to the hacked psp days.

BizznessOnly wrote:

My dude already jailbroken his ps3. Only homebrew is available for use with the ps3 atm. Emulation for games would be the only reason for me having a hacked ps3.

Online hackers will run abundant though....just look at MW2 online.

This brings me back to the hacked psp days.

What does that slang even mean? Friend? Yourself?

I don't play with people i don't know so i guess hacking online won't effect me. If they managed to get a PS2 emulator running on PS3

Superbuu3 wrote:

BizznessOnly wrote:

My dude already jailbroken his ps3. Only homebrew is available for use with the ps3 atm. Emulation for games would be the only reason for me having a hacked ps3.

Online hackers will run abundant though....just look at MW2 online.

This brings me back to the hacked psp days.

What does that slang even mean? Friend? Yourself?

I don't play with people i don't know so i guess hacking online won't effect me. If they managed to get a PS2 emulator running on PS3

Yea that means a friend.

A Ps2 emulator would be so sexy. So far the Dreamcast one is halfway to completion, and a 64 one is in development.

Superbuu3 wrote:

BizznessOnly wrote:

My dude already jailbroken his ps3. Only homebrew is available for use with the ps3 atm. Emulation for games would be the only reason for me having a hacked ps3.

Online hackers will run abundant though....just look at MW2 online.

This brings me back to the hacked psp days.

What does that slang even mean? Friend? Yourself?

I don't play with people i don't know so i guess hacking online won't effect me. If they managed to get a PS2 emulator running on PS3

Yea that means a friend.

A Ps2 emulator would be so sexy. So far the Dreamcast one is halfway to completion, and a 64 one is in development.

The first CFW, which only allowed for homebrew and emulators, has been manipulated to allow piracy. There's a pretty big range of game backups out there. There's already a trophy unlocker tool as well.

Most games are really big, though, so PS2 emulator would be the best, as they're not nearly as big.

They're not actually as big as you'd expect. The biggest files are FFXIII and God of War 3, the former is 90% HD FMV and GoW has truckloads of high-resolution textures.
Note that MGS4 and Uncharted 2 are only 25gb and 22gb respectively.