[Coder-san]

Hacker publishes PS3’s root key as Fail0verflow claims complete PS3 crack - VG247
PSP go hacked, Kingdom Hearts shown running in videos - VG247

Hacker publishes PS3’s root key as Fail0verflow claims complete PS3 crack

While PSGroove reports that infamous iPhone hacker Geohot has published PS3’s root key, hacker team Fail0verflow has told the 27th Chaos Communication Conference that PS3 is now completely, and irrevocably, cracked.




Geohot has released what he claims is the Metldr key for the console, which can’t be updated, apparently meaning he’s exposed the Sony hardware for good.


“No donate link, just use this info wisely. I do not condone piracy,” he said in a message.


He continued: “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.”


Last year, PS3 homebrew jailbreaks, such as PS Groove and PS Jailbreak broke cover, but several firmware updates killed them off at the time.



The addition of these Firmware updates were needed if you were to play games like Medal of Honor.


If true, this new release apparently means that users can now develop homebrew apps, bootloaders and more, and digitally sign them to the PS3 with no risk of a Firmware update to close the hole (thanks, Mike).


The move allows apps like XMBC, which plays old SNES games, to be used on PS3.


The publication of the codes could also have major implications for piracy. Assuming the release is legitimate, users can now circumvent any kind of restriction Sony may issue to stop downloaded games running on the machine.


“PS3 security in tatters”


The news is just the latest blow against Sony in what appears to now be a fully lost war against hacking PS3.


Speaking at the 27th Chaos Communication Conference at the end of December, the Fail0verflow team claimed, as per Digital Foundry, that “PlayStation 3’s internal security scheme is a shambles, with all of its major anti-piracy features failing abysmally. The system is so vulnerable that hackers now have the exact same privileges as Sony in deciding what code can run on the console.”



Fail0verflow claims to now be in possession of all of the encryption keys Sony uses and can create DLC-style packages that will run on any PlayStation 3, including custom Firmware upgrades.


Fail0ver’s presentation at 27c3 made the case that PS3’s OtherOS staved off interest in hacking the machine, postponing piracy for years.


When OtherOS was removed, said the team, piracy followed.


Speaking to VG247 today, a PS3 developer said he was “angered” that PS3 had been so completely cracked, but that there was the real possibility that the news could boost hardware sales.


“It may actually be good for PS3,” said the coder, speaking off the record. “Remember PS2 was massively pirated too.”

And as you can expect from Sony,
Sony Sues Geohot Over PS3 Jailbreak

More information on Geohot's Homepage

PSP go hacked, Kingdom Hearts shown running in videos

Following on from news of PS3 getting hacked earlier this week – with custom Firmware now available – PSP go has now been hacked to play pirated full disc games.




Videos from blogger Wololo show Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep running on the system thanks to an ISO loader homebrew, which allows games pulled from UMDs to be played digitally.


Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep was only released on UMD, and never got a PSN online release.



This latest turn of events only adds to what’s been a very bad week for Sony in terms of potential piracy, following news of PS3’s root key being hacked and published openly. PSP’s encryption keys were exposed at the same time.


There’s some videos of the ISO loader below.


Thanks, GAF and Alex.

[Th3Proph3t]

Damn dude. This kind of bothers me. Out of the two big consoles, the PS3 is the one that gets fucked over. I mean the Xbox 360 took some blows in its time, but this is ridiculous. Its cool that they did it, but they are costing hard working people a LOT of money from this. As I always say, "How would you feel if someone leaked your work?". This is one of the kind of things that doesn't need to be publicly released.

[Coder-san]

As you can guess from this quote:

He continued: “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.”

Geohot is acting like a whitehat forcing to accept his services.

Sony should've immediately stopped Geohot in progressing further, such as releasing that custom PS3 firmware. Or ask his host to take it down, etc.
But they waited for "solid proof", and ended up suing him. Which does not results in anything other than him not cooperating any further.
There will always be others, able to crack literally any protection. But people like him, one of them are the only ones who can make it tougher.

Now the only thing stopping piracy of PS3 games is the huge size of Blue-ray games, way to understand the situation and act accordingly Sony. Wow.

[SoulStealer]

Even if he said he would like to be on other side, doesn't mean there wont be any piracy happening....
To stop piracy the only thing possible is the users itself not buying the pirated version...that's all i think is possible because one or the other day it will be cracked....

[Coder-san]

They could've stopped him before publicly releasing the custom firmware.
He was working on it since PS3 came. It was highly unlikely anybody else would've been working as hard, and could've succeeded in this.

I believe when you are really good at something, honesty comes from within. You can call this a thrill moment too.

To stop piracy the only thing possible is the users itself not buying the pirated version...

that's all i think is possible

Sorry but this is impossible. :lp: There can be a Super-awesome security, devs can stop making games for PS3, but people not pirating is literally impossible.
You need a HUGE eye-opener for this to become possible. Even then there will be a minority keeping it alive, and soon it'll spread again.

[SoulStealer]

Thats what i am telling Its impossible to stop piracy ^_^

[Jacob]

sony is getting fucked bad.

[!CRYPTOGRAPHY!]

Damn dude. This kind of bothers me. Out of the two big consoles, the PS3 is the one that gets fucked over. I mean the Xbox 360 took some blows in its time, but this is ridiculous. Its cool that they did it, but they are costing hard working people a LOT of money from this. As I always say, "How would you feel if someone leaked your work?". This is one of the kind of things that doesn't need to be publicly released.

What's wrong with it being cracked?, It just means more free shit for us xD!!

I agree its not nice having your work leaked but it's sony you would think with all the billions of pound's / Dollars they have they could have been a little more careful with security instead of cutting corners?