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Sony issues custom firmware ultimatum

Published on 15th November 2012 by David Hing

Custom firmware for the PS3 has been around for two years but as of last week, it can get full access to the PSN.

Sony is cracking down on the use of custom firmware on hacked Playstation 3s to access the Playstation Network.

As a result of a decryption key leak last month, players using a Playstation 3 with custom firmware installed are able to play online alongside regular users. Sony is warning that access to its network could be permanently removed from anyone that is using firmware that is not its standard issued version.

'Consumers running unauthorized or pirated software may have their access to the Playstation Network and access to Sony Entertainment Network services through Playstation 3 system terminated permanently,' said a Sony spokesperson. ' To avoid permanent termination, consumers must immediately cease using and delete all unauthorized or pirated software from their Playstation 3 systems.'

The use of custom firmware patches the system to allow for copied software to run directly from the console's hard drive. Although various versions of custom firmware have been available for approximately two years on the machine, it was only last month that the PSN access codes, the PS3 lv0 bootloader keys, were leaked, allowing hacked consoles full access online.

Sony has not always been so restrictive as to what can and can not be installed onto its consoles. At its launch in 2006, the Playstation 3 supported Linux, effectively making the console a cheap supercomputer, but this was dropped in 2010. This discontinued Linux support is thought to have converted many legitimate users into hackers and contributed towards further development of custom firmware.

18 Comments

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wafflesomd 15th November 2012, 10:03

Sony's response to console modification has convinced me to never purchase another Sony console again. If they paid attention to the modding scene they would know that a spoof will be out in no time to counter this.

Anfield 15th November 2012, 10:16

Why bother with a crackdown so late in the products life cycle?
Just bring out a new console already and let people do with their ps3 whatever they want.

Jaybles 15th November 2012, 10:39

Because, to quote the Joker, "it's about sending a message." A lot of these players will transfer to Sony's next gen console and Sony have to show that they will not stand for this. Also remember that not everyone will drop their PS3 and go buy next gen straight away, if at all. Furthermore I would suggest that it will most likely be at least a year before the next console comes out.

ShinyAli 15th November 2012, 13:10

It will be interesting to see just how much the next sony console costs as their consoles are usually the most expensive and as the power of PC's has increased for the same money over the years you can now buy a PC that can play games pretty well for the price of a new sony console and have the advantages of a PC

Sub-particle 0.76 15th November 2012, 14:53

If they want to play online, most of these people are willing to cough up for another PS3. Xbox scene proves that. What they do not want however is paying over the odds for every single games they like that come out.

fdbh96 15th November 2012, 15:51

Sony are just cracking down on piracy before it catches on with the more mainstream ps3 users. I think what they are doing is a good form on anti piracy, because it actually doesnt affect legitimate users in any way.

Deders 15th November 2012, 15:58

I don't think Sony are doing so well financially, would be a shame to see them disappear completely.

faugusztin 15th November 2012, 15:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by wafflesomd
Sony's response to console modification has convinced me to never purchase another Sony console again. If they paid attention to the modding scene they would know that a spoof will be out in no time to counter this.

So you won't buy a Sony console. You cannot buy a Microsoft console either, because they have exactly the same response (mod your console, get your console banned from XBOX Live forever). Will you buy Wii then ?

chrismarkham1982 15th November 2012, 18:09

Forks and eyes sounds better than a WiiU

jrs77 15th November 2012, 18:15

I don't know why people spit out so much hate towards this approach. Sure, in the beginning there was the option to boot Linux and all that, but let's face it... most people used all of the possibilities to hack and cheat and that's why Sony stopped supporting it.

The fault is the mass of users who exploited, not Sony.

If you want to mod, cheat or exploit... go play PC-games. Consoles are closed ecosystems. Period.

Eiffie 15th November 2012, 18:47

I support this as a PS3 player who is tired of running into cheaters online. I do feel sympathy for those who might mod their system without the intent to cheat anyone who they might be playing with and has other reasons for doing so but seriously, why do I have to play Dark Souls and run into people who have god mode online or Killzone where it's just clear people are hacking. I shouldn't have to deal with it just because the console is coming to the end of it's lifespan. I hope this stands true for their next console from the very start. I use my console to game and it already has the ability to access the web as well as the computers on my network to stream audio/video, I don't really see what it's missing.

wafflesomd 15th November 2012, 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by faugusztin
Quote:
Originally Posted by wafflesomd
Sony's response to console modification has convinced me to never purchase another Sony console again. If they paid attention to the modding scene they would know that a spoof will be out in no time to counter this.

So you won't buy a Sony console. You cannot buy a Microsoft console either, because they have exactly the same response (mod your console, get your console banned from XBOX Live forever). Will you buy Wii then ?

Lol no. I think they're all terrible.

Sloth 15th November 2012, 21:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdbh96
Sony are just cracking down on piracy before it catches on with the more mainstream ps3 users. I think what they are doing is a good form on anti piracy, because it actually doesnt affect legitimate users in any way.

As a legitimate user who isn't affected by this I agree. It's a good way to keep away the "i serched how 2 pirate ps3 2 play black ops 4 free" crowd without making everything a massive DRM nightmare.

Gradius 16th November 2012, 04:54

ps3 is and was my last console. PC FTW!

Griffter 16th November 2012, 08:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deders
I don't think Sony are doing so well financially, would be a shame to see them disappear completely.

sony is not doing bad... maybe they lost this generation in consoles but remember they in everything, TV, Fridges, microwaves, audio everything and many other electronics. gaming is not as most ppl in gaming scene think is their biggest... its actually one of their small - mid size departments. sony is more more more than fine.

not to say they will throw money at a losing department tho. will u if "your" gaming department is not making money? exactly like microsoft, is xbox fails, the company is still not gonna do bad with all their other stuff.

Shirty 16th November 2012, 10:29

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