Sony threatens to pursue legal action against PS3 hackers

[dlevere]

Following reports that hackers have cracked PlayStation 3's anti-piracy software, SCEA has declared that it will "aggressively pursue" anyone caught engaging in such activity with legal action.

"Unfortunately, hackers will try to exploit any hardware system software," SCEA spokesperson Dave Karraker told GamesIndustry.biz.

"The best we can do as a company is to make our security that much stronger and aggressively pursue legal action against anyone caught trying to use an exploit in an illegal manner."

As reported by CVG.com, hackers have cracked PS3 firmware versions 1.10 and 1.11 - thereby forcing the console to boot illegal copies of games.

Booting games and playing them are two different things, however; so far, hackers have not been able to get any of the copied games to run, nor have they been able to run homebrew software.

Every hardware launch brings with it a race for hackers to defeat the system's protections, whether for the technological challenge, to run copied software, or to allow for homebrew games.

Despite Sony's attempts to prevent its emergence, the PSP has a strong homebrew community - and hackers are doubtless hoping to establish a similar base for PS3.

If legal consequences are not a deterrent, there are other risks involved. Like Microsoft, which has banned some modded Xbox 360 consoles from Xbox LIVE, Sony could easily stop PS3 units from accessing the PlayStation network. Hackers also risk bricking their consoles.

"Naturally, any use of an exploit on the system software does void the warranty on the PS3 system... Which could be a costly mistake to see if you can run an old SEGA CD game on it," said Karraker.

[LiquidManZero]

"Naturally, any use of an exploit on the system software does void the warranty on the PS3 system... Which could be a costly mistake to see if you can run an old SEGA CD game on it," said Karraker. <- Call Sony's tech support number, and say you've got a broken ps-whatever. Then, say that you know somebody who owns an unlicensed accessory. Suddenly, they insist that your system is broken due to whatever the accessory was, and that you've voided your warranty by using it.

Eventually, PS3 will have been figured out. It may take awhile, and Sony will of course be fighting back constantly (and likely failing, if the continuing PSP firmware fiasco is any indication).

Of course, they're only kicking themselves in the ass. People trying to exploit the system are some of the few that actually are buying the hardware.

[Lazy Bastard]

Heh, yeah.

CVG.com is some kind of South American ecology site. Perhaps that was a typo?

[uolamer]

what the hell else you going to do with a PS3? I got one.. it sits there.. looks pretty.. I put linux on it, but they restricted me out of too much of the system, to the point it sux. Makes a poor XviD player even.. whatever hope they hack it all to hell, give me something to toy with. either release some games I want or deal with it. getting around to releasing games years after the system is out, well thats lame.

[LiquidManZero]

I'm waiting to see how long until somebody gets the firmware off a $600 model that has ps2 emulation included, to work on the cheaper not-backwards-compatible model with a smaller hard drive.

Heh, if you want to get a ps3, your best bet is an old 20 GB unit. Not only does it have hardware based backwards compatibility for ps2, but you can easily (and for less money than the "next" model up) put a huge hard drive in one. Standard equipment ftw, heh.

[dlevere]

http://www.computerandvideogames.com....php?id=165699

[Zane]

You know the same reason why they haven't put out external hd and blue ray dvd hard drives for people to buy worrying people might try to burn dvds the same way people do now with regular dvd's, just a theory of mine.

My point being is seems they want to make sure no one but the system makers of playstation 3 to have full control, funny though if you ask me, they shouldn't have made the playstation 3 so much like a computer, as before it just used to be game systems be nothing more then just that for the most part but now almost anyone can just change the playstation 3 to what they want even if sony doesn't like it, but maybe one day they will get over there selfs, and who knows maybe by then they might start selling more playstation 3's knowing in the end hackers will be the ones to do what the makers of the game systems couldn't/wouldn't do to bring out the most out of there favorite game systems.

[ShangTsung]

i just wish these selfish bastards would leave us the hell alone about modding games, why is it such a big deal to make them funner.. i mean who are we hurting? honestly... i blame the stupid @ss multiplayer craze myself..