PS3 root key found, sony is going to shit brick

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Combine Hybrid

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A hacker has published what he claims to be the root key of the PlayStation 3, leading to what some have speculated could be full root access to the game console without the need for external media.

The key, published by an individual calling himself or herself "geohot," is accompanied by a "hello world" piece of code.

At press time, Sony representatives said that they were still awaiting confirmation or a denial from within the company.

As gaming blog Kotaku noted, the hack may be tied to the fail0verflow group, which develops for the PS3 homebrew scene. "Homebrew" modifications to the console are akin to "rooting" a phone, where the user installs his or her own operating system, usually for the purpose of adding custom software. Doing so, however, usually voids the device's warranty.

In September, hackers gained access to the root key of HDCP, the technology used to secure Blu-ray discs. Access the the HDCP key theoretically allows the development of players that could output an unsecured Blu-ray video file.

Although some have claimed that geohot simply leveraged the work done by the fail0verflow group and others, the hack could allow software to be digitally signed using the encryption key, thus presenting itself to the console as a legitimate piece of software.

In September, Sony released a firmware update to the PS3, supposedly in response to homebrew teams and other hackers that had worked to crack the console. Soon after, Best Buy announced a $30 service to provide firmware updates to the console.
Click to expand...
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2375056,00.asp
http://www.geohot.com/


Unlike the previous jailbreak method, this allows anyone to run homebrew on any PS3, without hardware or software modifcation.

Just to get a picture of how serious this is, no console, ever, has had its private key cracked. This allows you to run any program or app on any PS3, without modifying the software or firmware. The only way to run homebrew on your 360 (and previously on the PS3) is to modify the firmware or software in some way.

The key allows anyone to run any app/game as an official and licensed program. What's worse (for Sony, at least) is it cannot be fixed. If they replaced the hardware, it would make all old PS3s unusable with new games.

I can't wait to see the sony's reaction on this shit storm.
 
if its true I'll support sony by buying a ps3.
 
Sony cannot catch a break in the way of pirates. First the PSP and now this.
 
wow I bet its M$ guys to be honest. Who else would want to take them out?
 
Or just a shit stirring hacker. Microsoft are way ahead in terms of competition.
 
yeah maybe, but imagine if Sony was gone entirely...how different everything would be. I still think the sales of PS3s will be through the roof and would also create a high demand for a long time. But we'll have to wait and see. I'm sure Sony will be spending lots of money to even cover up this story
 
Are you sure Sony won't brick shit instead?
 
I read about this a while ago. Apparently, it was done by a serious homebrew group for homebrew purposes, but most people will probably use it for... other things.

I guess Sony shouldn't have cut the homebrew community out by dropping Linux support (or included them in the first place).
 
So you put a file with the code on a usb stick, run it in service mode and the console is cracked?

How does one even figure out the root key of a console? :?
 
Wait what! Homebrew actually means something else than warez enabled on consoles? :D
 
Hey Sony finally has selling point for the PS3! They've been milking the "come on it's a blu ray player too" line for a while now.
 
Warped said:
wow I bet its M$ guys to be honest. Who else would want to take them out?
Click to expand...
It's definitely not Microsoft. If anything, this news will cause an increase in the number of PS3s being bought.
 
Could somebody please explain the effects of this to a n00b like me. In what way would you're average person use this? To install windows and run microsoft word?
 
This would be ****ing awesome for me. I could send video files to the cell processor to be rendered, or my 3D work. As it is, my pc is crippled for hours when rendering such things.
 
Solaris said:
Could somebody please explain the effects of this to a n00b like me. In what way would you're average person use this? To install windows and run microsoft word?
Click to expand...

The average person will probably use it to play pirated games on the PS3.
 
^ This.

The only way to get windows on there is if someone modified windows to work on a PS3. Probably never going to happen. But this does open the door to some very exicting opportunities.

If this is legit I think I'm finally going to pick me up a PS3.
 
Essentially this is the key that Sony uses to sign everything to prove it's legit. Everything from games,DLC to firmware updates require this. With this key anyone can sign anything from pirated games to a homebrew app and the PS3 will think it's legit. No modification required at all to your PS3. So basically we have the same rights now as Sony. I believe that the average person will end up using this for Piracy. I don't care what other people say every time i see a console exploited the main thing that arises is piracy.
 
We can do what we want with something we bought? Why didn't someone think of this before?!
 
Acepilotf14 said:
We can do what we want with something we bought? Why didn't someone think of this before?!
Click to expand...

I sure hope you're trolling.

Good for us!! I doubt I'll do anything, for fear of ever there being a chance of bricking my PS3...but maybe I'll invest in another one....
 
The problem here, is that Sony loses money per PS3 made/sold (At least, that's the situation when they were first released, production costs have likely dropped) and money was made back through game sales.

With the system being rooted, people aren't going to be buying so many games.. So Sony would just continue hemorrhaging money through lost game sales.
 
So, PS3 games will be pirated. Not such a revolution in consoles history; pirated games for consoles are everywhere.
 
I like how you bring this news of a wonderful key that allows us to write applications and grants us full access to our piece of hardware and these naysayers come in here and pollute our good feelings by shoving piracy down our throats.

I understand that most people are content living dull and meaningless lives going to their schools and or working an 8 to 5 job, but some of us actually like to experiment and try stuff we haven't done before. What pirate pissed in your cereal anyway that it's such a big deal? I doubt you've ever written code that could be pirated anyway.

tldr: Not everyone is an entertainment sponge so this is a good thing for those enthusiastic about experimenting with the cell architecture.
 
Now it really does do EVERYTHING.
 
comradesean said:
I like how you bring this news of a wonderful key that allows us to write applications and grants us full access to our piece of hardware and these naysayers come in here and pollute our good feelings by shoving piracy down our throats.

I understand that most people are content living dull and meaningless lives going to their schools and or working an 8 to 5 job, but some of us actually like to experiment and try stuff we haven't done before. What pirate pissed in your cereal anyway that it's such a big deal? I doubt you've ever written code that could be pirated anyway.

tldr: Not everyone is an entertainment sponge so this is a good thing for those enthusiastic about experimenting with the cell architecture.
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone here had the intentions of making PS3 owners feel bad about the crack, by talking about piracy - I know I didn't. It just seems a realistic assumption that most of the people will use the crack for that purpose. My guess is perhaps up to 5% will do something else with it. If you want to experiment with the cell architecture - good for you, have fun.
 
Is the USB autorun? Does it need to be for any current device (steering wheel, bluetooth, etc.)? Because if not, they could disable auto-run in firmware, and check the data on the USB before allowing it to run. Simple.

I mean, you have to be able to input the key somehow. Data doesn't do anything until it is executed.

Also, game pirates ****ing suck. You better be living in poverty, mother****ers. I rarely have a ****ing dime, you know I bought both Humble Bundles.

Look at this: http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?174859-Humble-deal&p=3237940#post3237940
 
I don't think anyone has said they will be using this for piracy if they can. Everyone has just stated that it will probably be used with pirated products a lot if it works.
 
Defendants George Hotz, “Bushing,” Hector Cantero, Sven Peter and “Segher” (collectively, “Defendants”) are computer hackers.1 Working individually and in concert with one another, Defendants recently bypassed effective technological protection measures (“TPMs”) employed by plaintiff Sony Computer Entertainment America LLP (“SCEA”) in its proprietary PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system (“PS3 System”). Through the Internet, Defendants are distributing software, tools and instructions (collectively, “Circumvention Devices”) that circumvent the TPMs in the PS3 System and facilitate the counterfeiting of video games. Already, pirated video games are being packaged and distributed with these circumvention devices. Declaration of Ryan T. Bricker In Support of Ex Parte Motion for Temporary Restraining Order And Order To Show Cause Re Preliminary Injunction; Order for Impoundment (“Bricker Decl.”) ¶2, Exh. A. Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65 and Local Rules 65-1 and 7-10, SCEA moves ex parte to put an immediate halt to the ongoing distribution of these illegal Circumvention Devices and avoid irreparable harm to SCEA and to other video game software developers stemming from video game piracy.

Defendants’ Circumvention Devices allow users to circumvent multiple TPMs in the PS3 System – including access control, encryption and digital signature protections – to enable use or playing of illegal copies of PlayStation®3 video games on the PS3 System.
Click to expand...

Whoopsie.

I don't see how ceasing the distribution of the code by Geohot will stop it from going around, since it's already on the Internet in numerous places.
 
it won't help. the Genie is out of the bottle.

I for one, want homebrew, a better web browser, and a better media player. (And emulators...which I already have)
 
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