PlayStation 3 hacked again?

[Ironman273]

PlayStation 3 hacked again?

October 20th, 2011

Reports are emerging that the PlayStation 3 has been hacked once again in the form of a successor to the original PSJailbreak, dubbed "JB2".

Similar to the first hack, JB2 apparently takes the form of a USB dongle that plugs directly into the PS3 and compromises the system on power-up.

released so far of the device in action appear to show an extended boot -up period before the XMB finally appears, featuring a number of options only available to developer consoles, allowing for the installation of unsigned code.

The hack is curious in that unlike the older Jailbreaks, newer games cannot be run from the hard drive: instead, burned Blu-ray discs are used instead with the PS3 appearing to recognise them as legitimate pressed games. Older titles that pre-date the 3.60 update that locked out current piracy methods allegedly work from the hard drive as normal. This opens up the unpalatable suggestion that not only will the makers of JB2 make money from selling the dongles, but a black market of burned software could also emerge. Alternatively, it may simply mean that a debug console - which can work with BD-R discs - was used to create a fabricated video.

According to sources, the dongle has undergone a small launch in Indonesia ahead of a global roll-out, with a small range of pirate games including titles like PES 2012, Driver: San Francisco, God of War Collection Volume II and FIFA 12 being made available. The notion of limited titles being available may suggest that the games are being reverse-engineered, and that only some games may work with the new hack. Alternatively, the makers may simply be releasing the latest games first in order to maximise revenues with the small window of opportunity available before Sony legal gets on the case.

Previous "custom firmwares" could allow for the modification of game code and assets, allowing for an unfair advantage for cheats accessing the PlayStation Network. Although it appears to run new games, JB2 is apparently based on the same 3.55 firmware as older hacks, so there's a very strong possibility that PSN access will remain off limits for those running pirate software.

It's still unconfirmed beyond all doubt whether JB2 is the real deal or not. However, the evidence piling up over the last 24 hours does suggest that Sony's successful anti-piracy measures - which kicked off with the release of Portal 2 and the 3.60 firmware just over six months ago - may have finally been overcome.

Source: Digital Foundry

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

I can say i hoped this would never happen again as it makes playing games online a nightmare

[Draken]

I can say i hoped this would never happen again as it makes playing games online a nightmare

Why? ppl using that hack can't access PSN!

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

The old hack was able to access psn and make online games horrible. I am assuming that it is only a matter of time before they further this particular hack to make it access the psn as well.

[still1]

The old hack was able to access psn and make online games horrible. I am assuming that it is only a matter of time before they further this particular hack to make it access the psn as well.

yes it will be only for few weeks and Sony will block it again....

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

let us hope that they do block it, I understand people want to be able to run unsigned code on their devices I just wish the devs would do it in such a way that prevents piracy and modification of system files (game mods)

[Draken]

The old hack was able to access psn and make online games horrible. I am assuming that it is only a matter of time before they further this particular hack to make it access the psn as well.

because of cheating? (I'm asking because I don't know :) )

[Knightwolf20024]

The old hack was able to access psn and make online games horrible. I am assuming that it is only a matter of time before they further this particular hack to make it access the psn as well.

if they could, they would have found a way again as far as i know they haven't the and last of the ways on to psn for the hackers were plugged. all this seems to do is decrypt the eboots and make on the fly changes so you can run games that require firmwares 3.60+

[Astra.Xtreme]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Sony has done a good job at locking that stuff out in a timely matter.

[rajputwarrior]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Sony has done a good job at locking that stuff out in a timely matter.

ha, sure they have... forgot psn went down for a month plus because they locked ish like this out really quickly? looks like the sony vs JB's war is back on.

[MovieFanatic07]

if sony goes down like that again im jumping on the xbox bandwagon...

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

I can say i hoped this would never happen again as it makes playing games online a nightmare

Even if it is true

Confirmed the real deal, works only on v3.55 but plays games up to v3.73

Online isn't an issue and won't ever be unless the latest FW is modded.

[soniqstylz]

ha, sure they have... forgot psn went down for a month plus because they locked ish like this out really quickly? looks like the sony vs JB's war is back on.

Completely different type of hack.

[rajputwarrior]

Completely different type of hack.

jailbreaking it and getting dev access is how it all started though

[AbandonedTrolley]

jailbreaking it and getting dev access is how it all started though

Not really, the PSN outage was caused by hackers attacking the PSN network. They did this because they got butthhurt after Sony put down their poster boy Geohotz. Had Sony of left him alone then chances are no one would have bothered to do the hack.

I don't get why people complain about Sony blocking things like the jailbreak. You buy the machine knowing it's limitations. All this crap about oh we have the right to unlock it and use homebrew is BS imho. You buy it knowing it can't do it, don't complain when Sony block any workarounds that may offer homebrew but also allow piracy of their software.

[rajputwarrior]

Not really, the PSN outage was caused by hackers attacking the PSN network. They did this because they got butthhurt after Sony put down their poster boy Geohotz. Had Sony of left him alone then chances are no one would have bothered to do the hack.

I don't get why people complain about Sony blocking things like the jailbreak. You buy the machine knowing it's limitations. All this crap about oh we have the right to unlock it and use homebrew is BS imho. You buy it knowing it can't do it, don't complain when Sony block any workarounds that may offer homebrew but also allow piracy of their software.

yeah you're right...

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

I checked that 3.72 video again and there is one thing that i noticed which looks strange. The "Backup Utility" is missing from the system setting (i saw someone asking about this on another forum, and i checked it myself now). The first picture is from the video, the 2nd picture is from my PS3 on 3.72:

I believe that the "Backup Manager" isn't in firmware 3.55 or in the debug firmware, so why is it missing if this is a retail 3.72 firmware?

[Julius Caro]

the article is written in the weirdest of ways.

[-KJ]

I wish there was something this easy to hack my old 360. I'd love to store all my games on there and be able to play them without picking my lazy self out of bed to swap discs.