Hackers Crack PS3 Security For Good

Who needs a set of encryption keys?

Posted by Staff
Hackers Crack PS3 Security For Good
Hacking group Fail0verflow has announced at the 27th Chaos Communication Conference that it has completely and irreversibly cracked the PlayStation 3, releasing security details to all who wish to create unauthorised software for the platform.

The heart of the circumvention is in the encryption of PS3 software. The Fail0verflow team says that it is in possession of all of Sony's encryption keys, and thus can create custom DLC, firmware upgrades and even bring back Linux (previously offered on the PS3 under the OtherOS feature).

Of course this information leaves Sony's console lying on its back with its legs in the air - it would be impossible for the hack to be countered, short of a complete architecture overhaul that would render all previously released software unplayable.

Fail0verflow denies that its intentions with the security bypass involved piracy, adding that most console cracks are made for homebrew purposes but such visions are scuppered by pirates. Apparently.

Meanwhile George Hotz - the iPhone hacker who kicked off the war against Sony's console (remember him?) - has come out of hiding to look for a job. He has published the PS3's root key on his website, along with a 'Hello World' program bootable from a USB device. "If you want your next console to be secure, get in touch with me. Any of you three. It’d be fun to be on the other side," he writes.

Via GI
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Comments

Moshalas 4 Jan 2011 20:02
1/5
Nah, he's just being sarcastic. Clearly Sony are not paying enough attention to recent events. They need to get down to business and secure their machine again.

But to go far at doing the impossible, seeing the invisible, touching the untouchable and breaking the unbreakable, they fought the power and opened the PS3 by revealing these very basic keys required to run anything on the PS3. What an effort.
Moshalas 4 Jan 2011 20:04
2/5
I must also add. What's next? PS3go? I'd lol if something like that was released. It would fail again, just as the PSPgo did.
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swoody112 4 Jan 2011 22:07
3/5
This may be good for homebrew and the bedroom games programmer, but It just leaves a small and very nasty taste for the Games developers, Who will now think twice before signing any exclusive rights to Playstation knowing nothing will stop the pirates writing there own copies to DVD-DL or BD-r for the those cheap skates how do not support quality games.
ExeGeoff 5 Jan 2011 07:38
4/5
Nothing unique here, both the X-Box 360 and Nintendo Wii were cracked ages ago and they both have games being developed for them, PS3 just happened to be the last uncracked console.
Dreadknux 5 Jan 2011 09:18
5/5
@ExeGeoff: Only this time pirating is as simple as downloading a file off the internet, putting it onto a USB stick and loading it up on your PS3. I don't think such circumvention has ever been this easy for those wanting to avoid paying for stuff.
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