PS3 homebrew caught on video, Sony promises 'fix'

by Richard Mitchell on Jan 7th 2011 2:00PM

The PS3 root key saga continues, with hacker Geohot posting a video demonstrating homemade software running on a PS3 using firmware 3.55. There's not much to the software, essentially a reworked "Hello World" that says "sup dawg, it's geohot," but it's more than enough to prove viability of homebrew software on the PS3.

Sony, for its part, has stated to Edge that it will "fix the issues through network updates, but because this is a security issue, we are not able to provide you with any more details." However, fail0verflow hacking group member pytey recently told the BBC, "The complete console is compromised - there is no recovery from this." He added that the only possible way to correct the hack would be for Sony to "issue new hardware."

Via: Engadget
Source: Edge, BBC, Geohot

Tags: fail0verflow, geohot, hack, hacking, playstation, ps3, ps3-root-key, root-key, sony

Reader Comments (127)

And there goes the neighboorhood

@iamjq3

No you're not.

PS: you're lame.

@DeadRabbits

Looks so out of place now that his comment was deleted.

@Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell

what did it say?

"This is not Java"

@DeadRabbits
That ^

Somebody is getting fired.

@profeteer

Firing the guy or gal that made this mistake would only lead to more leaks!!!!

@iamjq3

Go back to IGN, kthxbai.

@Everyoneelsewhomatters

Is it just me or.... I mean hacking the console is one thing...but its might damn convenient that he managed to nab the root when failoverflow (or whatever) managed to bypass the security.

@ShadowXIII Having read the BBC article, Hotz is a fraud he jumped up like look at me looking to take credit when Sony kicked his teeth in with the removal of OtherOS.

Now this is how I see it, if he wasn't looking so hard for fame in the first place OtherOS would have never been removed and this wouldn't be where it is today.

I'm willing to bet a finger he would have never ever figured out what the failoverflow guys did.

@MrAhh
"I'm willing to bet a finger he would have never ever figured out what the failoverflow guys did"

Ofcourse not... have you seen the video? those guys from failover are ubber elite ultra nerds... GotHot (although talented) is a lesser nerd who thinks he is amoung the top brass.

@MrAhh

did he ever admit that the video of other os working on a new firmware with psn connected was bullshit?

@ShadowXIII

It's convenient because all Geohot did was use Failoverflow's innovation. Fail pointedly noted its method could crack the mtl key, and didn't bother because they aren't interested in piracy. Geohot took it that step further so he could get a lot of attention.

I fail to see why Geohot's even newsworthy, since the crack was someone else's doing. lots of script kiddies will use real innovations... so what? Geohot's just good at spamming himself taking credit. I guess it produces a good villain for page impressions.

Can they use it to reenable back compat?

@Uberdave
If anyone can write a PS2 emulator for the PS3 sure, why not... Can't see anyone managing to do so however

@Uberdave
The Emtion Engine has been removed from models since the 60GB's were phased out. Considering this, probably not.

@Xeno378 And the 80 GB uses software emulation. Emulation for PS2 games is still a possibility, just Sony doesn't want to do it because now they're making money on HD remakes.

If a PS2 emulator is possible on PC, then it's hella possible on a PS3.

@Uberdave
BC or at least "Other OS" . . .or did they actually allow users to use other operating systems again? I haven't checked the system menu in awhile since I'm trying to finish DEADSPACE before the sequel hits, haha.

@Chichok

Well, since you put it that way...it makes sense. I knew the 80GB's used emulation, but I didn't even think of using that emulation on a hacked PS3.

@Chichok I don't see why it would be so hard. I mean, MS was able to get several hundred xbox titles running on the 360, and they were switching hardware providers and going form off the shelf parts to a custom design.

Sony is going form one sony created tech to another. And we already know they can do it with some games.

@Chichok

No. The launch systems had both the PS2 CPU (Emotion Engine) and PS2 GPU (Graphics Synthesizer) built into the motherboard. The newer revisions had the CPU removed and emulated, but the PS2 GPU remained. The current systems have neither. At no point has the PS3 been 100% software emulation for the PS2 BC.

And claiming they took it out because of the HD remakes makes little sense. For one, they didn't even release the remakes until years after PS2 BC was removed. Also, they sell PS1 games in the PSN store yet still allow all systems to play PS1 discs.

@Chichok

I think there's still some hardware differences in the 80 gb partial BC that I have, that helps it do the emulation. I think it was the Graphics Synthesizer or something like that. Just not the emotion engine itself. So there's a hardware reason too.

Also, I think that it would be harder to get the PS3 to emulate than a PC because specs for PC are generally much higher than consoles.

@Chichok the 80 gig model still partially depended on hardware also it wasnt 100% software emulation

@Chichok

I got an 80 Gb with partial BC, I still buy every HD remake.

HD, trophies, and they play better... come on.

@Vidikron Let's go with what you said is 100% true and I succeed to it. My point still stands that it's still entirely possible to get PS2 running on all PS3's. Software emulation isn't a very efficient way to do it, but it still works.

@Chichok

And as I said, If MS can do it, why can't sony? MS had to enable back compat games at a time, and they were having to emulate a much more capable system then the ps2.

@Chichok

I think it's certainly possible. There are pretty decent PS2 PC emulators that can be ported. However, the biggest challenge will be the PS3's architecture. The multiple cores in the Cell aren't normal general purpose CPUs. So I think the results of such a port may be disappointing... at least initially.

@Chichok True, but if they discontinues and added PS2 emulation to the PS3, PS3 would get a sales bump (although it may not be a huge, PS3 would still profit from it).

How exactly will Sony fix this one? Will the maker of Geohot be tracked down and killed? Will Nintendo ever recover the 5 star dragon ball?

Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z

*You read this all in the English announcers voice.*

@Leafhopper

I read it in Waylon Jennings voice instead, like an episode of The Dukes of Hazzard.

Much improved. =P

@Leafhopper

Geohot's a person, but I guess you could track down his parent's or something.

Oldtimey live action Batman show announcer, here.

@Leafhopper in Ted Williams voice how would that work, him being the best hobo ever

I read that in the voice of James Earl Jones. Why? Because he's awesome, that's why.

@BananaBoat

Patrick Stewart or Morgan Freeman voice FTW.

@Leafhopper

Someone hide the goddamn 5 star dragon ball.

@Leafhopper
Christopher Walken is always my go-to voice for narration

I don't understand why Sony is even going to try and combat this with firmware updates...its just going to annoy the hell out of everyone, and in turn cause more people to pirate (since it'll be easier to download DLC through pirates, rather than downloading a firmware update every time you want to visit the store).
Not to mention the level of public awareness Sony will be showing by throwing a new update every few weeks.

@mywhitenoise

"its just going to annoy the hell out of everyone, and in turn cause more people to pirate (since it'll be easier to download DLC through pirates, rather than downloading a firmware update every time you want to visit the store)."

That's a load of bollocks and you know it, people will still need to update to play online, and it'll just be the one time or until somebody else hacks it in a different way much further down the line.

@MrAlex
it's really not that unreasonable. 90% of people who play online are douchebags who own COD and only want to play COD, with no desire to play anything that resembles a unique game.

@mywhitenoise

I guess I and most gamers I know fall under that 10% then.

@mywhitenoise Generalisation fail.

@shatteredminds
Would you mind pulling me up those online statistics? I would love to see how many people, and how many hours, are invested into COD than any other multiplayer game.

@mywhitenoise Whatever the percentage of amount of online players play COD, that does not automatically earn them the title of, and I quote "douchebags who own COD and only want to play COD, with no desire to play anything that resembles a unique game. "

@Co

Only in the context of the architecture. Have you taken the time to read it? It's pretty interesting. You hear what Arenas said at the presser the other night? He said he and JJ are the two best white shooting guards in the league. lol. 6 in a row and counting!

Some of the worlds best programmers work for companies like sony and microsoft, I'm fairly confident there's a solution, but it'll just have to be something new.

@MrAlex
Sort of like how Nintendo fixed the Wii, Microsoft fixed the 360, and Sony fixed the PSP?

@mywhitenoise

Not even that, Nintendo's programmers couldn't even implement RSA correctly.

@MrAlex Yeah true, some of the best programmers work for them. But not all of them.

Have to remember every game console has been compromised, there are no exceptions. All the hackers need is time.

@Chichok

I do believe that it's much more likely that we'll never see a solution, but I do believe that these people have the capability to possibly find one if there is one.

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PS3 homebrew caught on video, Sony promises 'fix'

Reader Comments (127)

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 2:00PM Anonamuus said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 2:04PM DeadRabbits said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 2:57PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

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Posted: Jan 7th 2011 2:13PM Xeno378 said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 2:27PM Chichok said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 2:32PM foxhound said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 2:49PM Xeno378 said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 3:12PM Uberdave said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 3:13PM Vidikron said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 3:21PM LockeDaemonfire said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 3:41PM Teus said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 5:48PM Faenix said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 5:52PM Chichok said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 7:05PM Uberdave said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 8:20PM Vidikron said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 8:59PM dylanspronck said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 2:10PM Leafhopper said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 2:14PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Jan 7th 2011 2:16PM MrAlex said

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