PS3 Hacker Hotz: I Will Make Custom Firmware
"It's about making sure you do get what you pay for."
In response to Sony's announcement to disable 'OtherOS' support in the PlayStation 3, exploit extraordinaire George Hotz has claimed he will retaliate by building custom firmware.
Users who install PS3 firmware v3.21 when it rolls out on 1st April won't be able to access any operating system partition created on the hard drive. The alternative is to avoid updating, which Sony says is acceptable - but at a cost of online and various media functions.
"When 3.21 comes out, I will look into a safe way of updating to retain OtherOS support, perhaps something like Hellcat's Recovery Flasher," Hotz offers on his blog, urging PS3 owners not to update. "I never intended to touch CFW, but if that's how you want to play..."
We would imagine that such firmware would also aim to retain the online functions of the console, but with the process bypassing Sony's servers that could prove troublesome, unless a private server was established to compensate. Hotz says that the aim of the custom firmware isn't piracy.
"It's about whether these companies have the right to take away advertised features from a product you purchased. Imagine if an exploit were found in Safari on the iPhone, but instead of fixing it, Apple decides to pull web browsing altogether," Hotz continued. "Legally, they may be within their right to do so, but we have to show them it's the wrong move for the future of the product and the company."
The iPhone hacker became known after discovering an exploit in the PlayStation 3 hardware and releasing it to the public.
Users who install PS3 firmware v3.21 when it rolls out on 1st April won't be able to access any operating system partition created on the hard drive. The alternative is to avoid updating, which Sony says is acceptable - but at a cost of online and various media functions.
"When 3.21 comes out, I will look into a safe way of updating to retain OtherOS support, perhaps something like Hellcat's Recovery Flasher," Hotz offers on his blog, urging PS3 owners not to update. "I never intended to touch CFW, but if that's how you want to play..."
We would imagine that such firmware would also aim to retain the online functions of the console, but with the process bypassing Sony's servers that could prove troublesome, unless a private server was established to compensate. Hotz says that the aim of the custom firmware isn't piracy.
"It's about whether these companies have the right to take away advertised features from a product you purchased. Imagine if an exploit were found in Safari on the iPhone, but instead of fixing it, Apple decides to pull web browsing altogether," Hotz continued. "Legally, they may be within their right to do so, but we have to show them it's the wrong move for the future of the product and the company."
The iPhone hacker became known after discovering an exploit in the PlayStation 3 hardware and releasing it to the public.
Companies:
Sony
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Comments
Tamikaze 30 Mar 2010 09:06
1/6
Awesome, cannot wait to see the results, although this may take a while..
G-Hotz's Dad 2 Apr 2010 05:28
2/6
If Sony is that serious to the threat of hacking that they disabled a whole feature of the PS3, I'm sure they will be ready to sue this guy to oblivion the moment he releases something he's not legally entitled to. I don't know if CFW is legal or not but I'd think modifying the software Sony makes and redistributing it would be considered illegal and since the guy is already known, he has nowhere to hide. I can't wait to see how this plays out. I don't condone Sony for taking away a feature that all 5 people in the world will be missing out on but they have the right to protect the PS3 from being hacked or modded like the way the PS2 and the PSP has been. They can't afford to let the PS3 fall into the hands of piracy and that's exactly what this guy would have opened the door to even if that's not his intention. All he did in the end is force Sony to take away a feature that I thought they were pretty brave to offer in the first place and if people think it's not his fault at all for what happened, they are mistaken.
Personally, I'd like to see how long it takes this guy to break down before he can actually break through the safeguards Sony has placed in the PS3 to prevent it from being hacked for this long. It's one thing to make a CFW for the PSP and a whole new thing to make one for the PS3, which is already in its 4th year?! Seriously people, use your PC for your PC stuff and your PS3 for games and Blu-ray.
Personally, I'd like to see how long it takes this guy to break down before he can actually break through the safeguards Sony has placed in the PS3 to prevent it from being hacked for this long. It's one thing to make a CFW for the PSP and a whole new thing to make one for the PS3, which is already in its 4th year?! Seriously people, use your PC for your PC stuff and your PS3 for games and Blu-ray.
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argh 5 Apr 2010 01:59
3/6
sony can fok themselves the bASTARDDS ITS TRUE i paid money for the features on the ps3 not for them too bring up too many updates taking away features their gredy kuntz
H@ckz! 6 Apr 2010 23:10
4/6
To G-Hotz's Dad, obviously you are an ignorant and I don't intend to waste more words with a lesser IQ form of life. You go Hotz! Let us know if you need coders to join the fight.
PS3-Rules 7 Apr 2010 19:48
5/6
To H@ckz!, since you are just a 'coder' your IQ must be pretty low. You are the ignorant, copying software is illegal, modifyiing software and re-distributing is illegal. If a company like Sony cannot make money with a systme like the PS3 then we won't get newer and better consoles anymore.
URWRONG 22 Apr 2010 16:09
6/6
Technically the ps3 xmb is linux based anyway, Which of course is open source (or for a noob like you Free To Modify And Redistribute) so i would get facts right b4 you consider saying its illegal