Technological discussion on PS3 security and crack.*

There's absolutely nothing implausible about the hack at all really. He's adapted one unsigned file. A bit premature to call it a Hello World but for what it is, there's no actual fakery.

 

Here's the aftermath in the form of firmware 3.21:
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/03/28/ps3-firmware-v3-21-update/

 

Not exactly sure Geohot is the only cause. The leap year/clock bug is probably just as guilty.

Tommy McClain

 

??? Why ? The clock can fail or work regardless of whether there is OtherOS. They are 2 separate things/concepts.

What is the thought train that leads you to the above conclusion ?

 

Hmm. Thought I read in that thread it didn't effect slims since they didn't have the OtherOS option. If that's not related, then forget what I said and carry on. LOL

Tommy McClain

 

The date of the proposed firmware release is peculiar. I think it's a joke myself, otherwise, class action suit ahoy. Taking a feature away from a product already purchased by a consumer is not a joke.

I'm not entirely sure though. Anyone care to comment?

 

Eh... I think PS Slim was not affected because they use a different hardware component.

Some will probably try, but then again Sony lawyers would have evaluated their risk beforehand. In this case, the firmware is optional. I'm guessing the EULA have clauses for Sony to refuse/change services.

 

Problem is this:

http://www.qj.net/qjnet/playstation-3/sony-phat-ps3s-will-not-lose-other-os-feature.html

The same update is also on the EU blog as well (same wording too).

 

Well, they are committed. It's just that you can't use Linux and access the Playstation Network or play protected media on the same system.

 

Hmm, yeah, I see the legal argument now. You're free to use the said feature as originally stated but you won't be able to do other things. A bit low I must say, as is the cause with many legal loopholes, but I guess they have a good reason to do that beyond the scope of piracy implications. After all, fat PS3's haven't been shipped in 8 months now.

 

What does this mean exactly. It says that the "Install Other OS" feature will be removed, stopping you from installing Linux. What if it is already installed? Does that stop working? It's a little ambiguous as I read it. Does it stop an already installed OS from working, or does it allow that to still run but not allow another install?

 

I am certain that this update will check for the Other OS option and present the needed warnings before it proceedes and removes it.

A cheap Cell development environment, which might have been nerfed on some parts which made it useless for those that wanted "everything" but still was worth a lot to others, was killed by hackers. Leaving everyone with nothing, congratulations hackers be proud!

 

Well Sony will gain from people buying new units so they can retain Linux functionality and still play new games. I'm struggling to see what this achieves. From what I understand the exploit itself is in the hardware. Linux just provides the programming environment for poking around the PS3's RAM. This programming environment is not going to disappear. The likes of Geohot simply won't update their systems.

If this eventually migrates into a solution for piracy, surely all the programming, patching etc would be incorporated into a modchip, bypassing Linux any way?

I'm guessing at best this will delay the decryption and patching of later firmwares?

 

Hmm i guess you could say that the Security Policy of the Cell/PS3 never has been "it can´t be cracked" but rather to slow down the process so much it makes it useless. In that sense your post hits it right on the head if they "only" update firmwares to slow down or annoy the process. But i doubt any of the hackers will update theirs But it takes away the option of creating a pure Software hack.

 

Well, I don't think this would have been a problem if GeoHot and his likes had stuck to the open Linux-enviroment.

Piracy isn't the main problem.
Geohot were messing around with his own code in GameOS, and OtherOS is the entry to it. He said Sony didn't have a way to fix it.

Obviously this is not a optimum solution, but it is one..

If you look at this hack for the Killzone: Liberation on the PSP.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTBempZVKQg

Everyone can see why Sony need to make sure there is some security on PSN, just not to ruin the experience for non-cheating gamers.

 

If piracy is the real concern, then games going forward will require firmware 3.21. But we've had DeanA (or was it archie4oz?) post here about how loss of Linux in the slim is mostly because of the cost associated with supporting it. I think it stands to reason that Sony would like to cut those costs out entirely.

 

They were talking about the PS3 Slim and new hardware at that time (No need to write new Linux drivers, hence the savings).

I think it could be a PSN or "other DRM" security problem in the old SKU case. Sony may have chosen the approach that costs them the least. I am kinda worried for the PSN, so I am not going to complain until I get more info.

 

Awesome news. So I come home from a long day at work and find about this. Thank you for nothing, geohot.

 

Having otherOS option causes every firmware update to have more extensive testing (to make sure it doesn't break otherOS or result in security holes). Hopefully with this, Sony has faster firmware updates and adds more options like voice chat and an "app store" like iTunes. Maybe Fixstars can offer their programs as a downloadable app in PSN, with full access to the Cell and RSX this time.

 

Oh give it a rest. Sony was looking for an excuse. Back when it was released they wanted the PS3 classified as a computer for tax evasion purposes. They did the same thing with the PS2 when they released linux on it. Ken Kutaragi might have honestly been trying to make the PS3 into a home media computer with decent Linux support, but he's long gone and his dreams are gone with him.

Either way, Sony is on the record saying they would continue to provide access to otherOS over a month after GeoHotz' PS3 exploit came out. Any beef you have should be with them.

Nite_Hawk