Geohot: Call of Duty hacks not my fault

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 21 February, 2011

"I have never played PS3 online ever."

George "Geohot" Hotz, currently being sued by Sony for cracking the PlayStation 3's security wide open, has denied his actions have led to hacks ruining first-person shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

In January developer Infinity Ward blamed Sony and the PS3's compromised security for the Modern Warfare 2 hacks that are blighting the game.

"Sony has recently acknowledged a breach in security on the PS3 which resulted in games to become exposed to exploits and hacks," Robert Bowling, aka fourzerotwo, said.

"Modern Warfare 2 is no exception to this security exploit and we understand that some of you have experienced problems with stats and other issues associated with this."

In an update on Hotz's website, in which he called for donations to help pay for lawyers in his increasingly bitter legal battle against Sony, the US hacker denied the accusation.

"No, I'm not," he said in response to his own question: "Donate to help you, you're the reason I can't play Modern Warfare now..."

"I have never played PS3 online ever. Frankly I'm amazed by the apparent ease with which these cheats were created, security 101, why is the security in the client anyway?

"I had no idea this would happen, and am in full support of the cheaters being permabanned from PSN."

Sony is in the process of banning the PSN accounts of those it suspects of hacking their PS3s.

"By identifying PlayStation 3 systems that breach our guidelines and terminating their ability to connect to PlayStation Network, we are protecting our business and preserving the honest gameplay experiences that you expect and deserve," Sony said.

"Rest assured, this message does not apply to the overwhelming majority of our users who enjoy the world of entertainment PlayStation 3 has to offer without breaching the guidelines detailed above, and we urge you to continue doing so without fear."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (75) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • AcidSnake #1 1 year ago

    "What the fuck did I do?"

    /McNulty

  • captain_Carl #2 1 year ago

    Whatever helps you sleep at night

  • Cronan #3 1 year ago

    Is it just me, or is this a slightly incoherent article?

  • GamesConnoisseur #4 1 year ago

    The consequences are undeniable as result of the security hacks but don't think it's any good for Geohot to disown totally the responsibilities!

    Sure he didn't directly involve in all those particular hacks, but door was opened and now what the long term prospect for playing PS3 online mp games without any cheatings? PC been blighted too but with extra policing via Steam etc helping, so Sony will need to give assistance to IW etc to ensure people are on best behaviour.

    X360 too but not as noticeable and MS well known for regularly wielding ban hammer very liberally.

  • grayn #5 1 year ago

    "I set fire to a car last night, but I am not responsible for it exploding, as I have never driven one"

  • OnlyMe #6 1 year ago

    Whatever gets you through the night (it's alright, it's alright).

  • Porcupine_I #7 1 year ago

    cool, the IRL "i didn't do it" boy!

  • waynenot #8 1 year ago

    Tell it to Bubba, dude - you're his new missus.

  • customfirmware #9 1 year ago

    Last time I checked he was asking for donation to help with the case.

  • LFace #10 1 year ago

    Before people finger wag and blame this guy for anything and everything naughty in their eyes, remember all he did was crack the security of a games console.

    If you believe this to be illegal or wrong, but have ever downloaded anything in DivX format then you are nothing but an hypocrite. DivX was a hacked codec originally (3.11 and the ;-) versions) so was that horrific and evil of the people who hacked it ?

    What about XBMC which started life on a hacked XBOX console back in the day which turned into a pretty awesome multi platform media centre tool?

    Oh noes! The humanity of the history of hacking! Wont someone please think of the children.

  • Vice.Destroyer #11 1 year ago

    I'd love to see Geohot on Judge Judy.

    "Sir, you maintain that these hacks are not your fault and do not accept any responsibility for any damage done with the work that you produced and released into the wild, is that right? What you have done is like slipping a rohypnol into a girls drink, taking her home and leaving her on the bed, putting a neon sign outside of her door, advertising this fact, with a condom dispenser on her bedside table."

    She'd say something along these lines. I am sure of it.

  • captain_Carl #12 1 year ago

    @LFace

    All he did was crack the security and tell everyone else how to do it.

    "All i did was work out how to break into this building and tell everyone else in the world how to do it :("

  • jonbwfc #13 1 year ago

    Man pushes boulder. Boulder rolls down hill and off cliff. Lands on other man.

    First man says "It wasn't me! I didn't make him stand there! It's all gravity's fault!"

  • arcam #14 1 year ago

    Welcome to another episode of Eurogamer Analogy Hell!

  • markyHD #15 1 year ago

    @TheDellBingo - You make a good point. This guy claims to be one of the gamers, asks for donations of us, but he doesn't even play his console online....so how did he download firmware updates that removed his precious linux I wonder?

    He's a scared little kid that did something silly, and is about to get bummed by a giant.

  • mingster #16 1 year ago

    Its true though. Call of Duty hacks were being used on PS3 before the geohot hack came out.
    All you have to do is hexedit your save game file you don't need a hacked PS3.

  • infernox1 #17 1 year ago

    thats like saying, if you stole a key to someones house, opened the door then left, its not your fault it got robbed. i didnt go inside so its not my fault.

  • MrGilder #18 1 year ago

    "I had no idea this would happen" - of course not, do we change GeoHotz to "Mr Fucking Ostrich with his head up his arse" or something.

    Seriously, hacking the PS3 to him meant that other prople wouldnt take this work and run with it - for all his programming skills, the guys a fucking moron.

  • SeesThroughAll #19 1 year ago

    why is the security in the client anyway?

    p2p. Not all games require servers for more than matchmaking.

  • jumpdeveraux #20 1 year ago

    I find it interesting he's asking for financial support at this early stage... things have barely even started in the legal wranglings.

    I'd have thought there were plenty of law firms in the US who'd take on his case on the offchance securing a win would make more of a name for them and also take a % of any settlement.

    If he runs out of money and ends up lawyerless I guess he can bust out his rap in the courtroom to see if that gets him anywhere.

  • jonbwfc #21 1 year ago

    @MarkyHD "but he doesn't even play his console online....so how did he download firmware updates that removed his precious linux I wonder?"

    You can have your PS3 connected online without playing online. My PS3's on the internet but I pretty much don't play online games on it because of the amount of knobheadery that goes on. Last online game I played at all was Borderlands, and that was only ever with friends. These days it's pretty much 1P or local MP only. But I still buy DLC & etc.

  • FireMonkey #22 1 year ago

    The security issue with CoD was there 'before' GeoHotz hack and 'before' he told anyone he even had a hack!
    People saying he is still to blame as he opened the door to it are just ill informed.

    That is like saying that if a robber climbed into your house via an open window and stole all your possessions, then a second robber unlocked your door, that the second robber should be blamed for the loss of all your goods!

    Sony and Activision are more than happy for people to think that these security issues are all down to GeoHotz as it makes people miss the point that the security on CoD was appalling and could easily be worked around by any hacker (without any help / info / tools from GeoHotz).

  • FireMonkey #23 1 year ago

    As proof that these hacks were around before GeoHotz hack, here is a link to a video of and a tutorial on how to fly around a level on PS3 CoD4 from 31st July 2009. Basically all you need is a memory stick and internet connection:
    [link url=http://www.ps3news.com/PS3-Hacks/video-call-of-duty-4-ufo-ps3-hack-is-getting-out-of-hand-1/
    ]http://www.ps3news.com/PS3-Hacks/video-c...[/link]

    and here is a report about the leaderboards in PS3 COD:ModernWarfare 2 being hacked in 7th Dec 2009:
    [link url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/228963/news/modern-warfare-2-hack-breaks-ps3-leaderboards/
    ]http://www.computerandvideogames.com/228...[/link]

    GeoHotz released his hack on January 26 2010, so both these issues were already there 'before' his hack.
    I'm not saying I agree with him hacking the PS3, but he shouldn't be blamed for what other people have already done.

  • drxym #24 1 year ago

    In other words - Your honour, how was I supposed to know that when I posted up a video on YouTube showing someone how to defeat a popular lock that it would lead to a massive spate of burglaries, thefts, and vandalism?

    Geohot can argue that what he did constituted free speech. He can't argue that he was completely ignorant of the consequences. It was obvious what would happen. Likewise it is obvious why Sony are not putting measures in to make PSN off limits to modders.

  • mingster #25 1 year ago

    Yup thats completely correct FireMonkey.
    These hacks existed before Geohot did his thing.
    People just want someone to blame when really it is completely the fault of Infinity Ward.

  • Shikasama #26 1 year ago

    If he is done for 'enabling piracy' (rather than for the charges about bypassing encoded security) then surely that stes a precedent for gun manufacturers 'enabling shootings'. I don't see the difference.

    He made the tools, he has no say in how people use them.

  • drumbaby #27 1 year ago

    "Please donate generously to my underwear fund, as I appear to have soiled all of mine."

  • tee_lau #28 1 year ago

    yes its your fault.

  • FireMonkey #29 1 year ago

    @Shikasama - Agreed.
    Also, how many people out there have used a video recorder in the past to record a TV show so they could watch it whenever they want? Should video recorders be illegal? Should you be arrested? If not why not? What is the real difference in a device designed to allow you to copy something to watch back in your own time (or illegally sell, share, modify or watch multiple times skipping additional payments i.e fast-forward ads) and some software that allows you to make a copy of a game as a backup (or illegally sell, modify / hack it)?

  • IronGiant #30 1 year ago

    The shit on his website is priceless. Wankers like him just make things worse for all gamers, god knows what kind of ridiculous security systems the next gen systems will have.

  • Jimiz #31 1 year ago

    So, if it's all Geohot's fault, then how come all the other online games in PSN aren't hacked apart and plagued by cheats also? Might it actually be possible that Infinity Ward's code was shit to begin with and they can only look in the mirror for not taking the necessary precautions to prevent this kind thing, huh?

  • mAc062 #32 1 year ago

    Geohot did what he did for the right reasons, its the other wankers that use it for hacking/piracy. You don’t send the guy to jail who made the gun just the guy that pulled the trigger, the same should hold true for this.

  • smithdown #33 1 year ago

    All these awful analogies that you guys are trotting out ignore the fact that there are OTHER PEOPLE who are responsible for THEIR OWN ACTIONS involved in this situation. Therefore the blame cannot solely rest at the feet of Hotz. It's completely moronoc to assume that other people are too ignorant and naieve not to realiise that what they are doing is illegal and, in some cases, immoral.

    To add to the analogies - just because someone leaves a car unlocked, does that exonerate you from stealing it?

  • dwalker109 #34 1 year ago

    @IronGiant Indeed. Such as not using a single encryption key to sign EVERYTHING. Probably didn't seem like a big deal, it turned out to be the chink in the armour.

    @stalefart This is the pirate's favourite myth. And I used to spout it a lot. Until I realised I owned a DS with CycloDS and exactly zero official games.

  • patchbox360 #35 1 year ago

    is it possible to hack your way out of accidently dropping the soap in a prison shower?

  • MiY4MOTO #36 1 year ago

    Whether you agree or disagree with the validity of his actions you've got to be aware that;

    a) You DON'T need a hacked PS3 to do the CoD exploits. (Just bloody google it people!)

    b) These exploits pre-date both his and failoverfl0w's "work" by quite some time.

    With these in mind how the hell can he be responsible for ruining your CoD games?

    You *may* be able go lay the blame for opening the door to piracy, but for allowing hex-editing files to exploit save-games... that's down to the devs poor security checks and whichever cheating toe-rag decided leak how to do it on YouTube et al.

    I suspect GeoHot and co will now be used rightly or wrongly as a scape-goat for any and all of Sony's PS3 woes for some time.

  • Merlinho #37 1 year ago

    So, I'm still to play CoD:MW2 online, is the hacking so bad there's no point?

  • BritishBlue1 #38 1 year ago

    "He's never played ps3 online? You aren't missing much, its a wasteland on the Mic if u don't know ppl in real life."

    Let's be honest, XBL is also a wasteland since they introduced cross game chat. In Halo or Gears of War all you ever see are speech bubbles next to peoples' names and the people using their mic are usually morons anyway.

  • FireMonkey #39 1 year ago

    @Stalefart - It may be true for you, but unfortunately I know a few people who have a DS as the only console they have bought and they are running downloaded games on R4 cards. It's the 'casual' pirates that don't even seem to think they are doing wrong that are a problem.
    (Well all pirates are a problem but...)
    Edited by FireMonkey at 21/02/11 @ 11:24

  • lordofthedunce #40 1 year ago

    oh 'rap!

  • dwalker109 #41 1 year ago

    @stalefart

    Oh, ok. Thanks for taking the time to clear that up.

    :/

  • 12312345 #42 1 year ago

    what's the big deal. cod games are shit anyway. ps3 isn't just about a shitty fps that's been out of date since cod4. buy something else ffs. if it wasn't geo hot, someone else would jump in. iv yet to see any hack stop my injoyment of any game.

  • MiY4MOTO #43 1 year ago

    @dwalker109 @djronz

    I've also heard the "myth" re: the spending / downloading ration of "pirates". I think this is the article that stalefart & co allude to;

    [link url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/4718249.stm
    ]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/4718249.stm
    [/link]

    Whether it's true today (or even applicable to videogames) is another thing. Not even sure it was true then tbh. Figures can and will be easily manipulated, just look at any & all government released statistics (regardless of which govenment / country of residence).
    Edited by MiY4MOTO at 21/02/11 @ 11:52

  • coolbritannia #44 1 year ago

    Geohot's an xbot. Muahaha.

  • Murton #45 1 year ago

    For a hacker/programmer this Hotz dude isn't very smart. Basing your entire defence on that fact that your work doesn't directly enable these things means nothing, you broke the security, you published your work and encouraged other to continue, all these hacks and exploits will have some of your code in them somewhere, whether you like it or not you are at least partly responsible and now you have to man up and face the consequences.

    Also, putting your PayPal donation links back up was really stupid. If Sony successfully prove that you've made even a couple of cents in profit from your work you're looking at a potential criminal charge for profiting from unlawful activity when Sony crush your rather weak legal defence and win this case.

  • Whatsfor #46 1 year ago

    This guy is a serious Tool. He claims on his website that he only joined Fail0verFlow's efforts because Sony removed OtherOS. Does he forget that he was the very twat that forced Sony's hand in removing OtherOS? He tries to come over on a more noble path but he is the cunt that lost us OtherOS and the cunt that now has unlocked piracy on the PS3 which could turn some game devs off when it comes to developing for the PS3.

    I hope Sony tear you a new arsehole in court you dick!

  • Freek #47 1 year ago

    Do you blame Ford when somebody causes a car accident? Sue Heineken when somebody does something stupid while drunk?

    And as has been pointed already; CoD was suffering from hacks and glitches long before the PS3 was jailbroken.
    Edited by Freek at 21/02/11 @ 12:31

  • Murton #48 1 year ago

    "which could turn some game devs off when it comes to developing for the PS3."

    Been hearing this line a lot the last few weeks, not going to happen, ever. Firstly look at the 360, it included no new anti-piracy protection at launch and was piracy enabled almost immediately, it retained and even built on the support of the original Xbox, which also didn't feature any new countermeasures and was piracy enabled almost immediately. Nintendo DS is arguably the most pirated games device on the market right now, still supported by most big name publishers. Historically, piracy has had zero appreciable effect on the support a platform receives from publishers/developers, I very much doubt that the PS3 will be the first here.

    Secondly, if we look back at just the last 18 months or so you'll notice that development on the PS3 has actually increased/improved. In 2008/early 2009 most developers simply ported to the PS3, we got none of the PS3's unique features, shitty frame rates and memory issues as the code wasn't properly optimised. From mid 2009 onwards cross platform parity has vastly improved, games are including more of the PS3s unique features like Youtube uploading and in game screenshots, frame rates are more or less equal to the 360, new AA techniques have been developed that play to the strengths of RSX, even Valve has gotten on board and are brining cross platform saves and multiplayer with them. Developers are finally realising that the slow burn of the PS3 is going to make it the bigger platform in the end and are starting to put the effort in, some are even changing sides, I doubt that the concept of piracy will change that either.

  • funkateer #49 1 year ago

    2 things:
    1) Geohot didn't crack PS3's security, FailOverFlow did. What Geohot is sued for is the fact that he distributed the keys and tools to hack. (IMHO that was illegal and even morally wrong, but that's besides the point)
    2) COD hacks have nothing to do with the hacked security of PS3. What Geohot said is true: Security 101=never trust a client. You don't need a hacked PS3 to hack COD. It's entirely the COD dev's fault that they screwed up their server security.

  • PixelPirate #50 1 year ago

    I have never played PS3 online ever.

    Jessica "geoHotz" Pollard.

    whatever.

  • dirtysteve #51 1 year ago

    So have there been cheats already for CoD? If so, it seems Infinity Wad are using this as a convenient excuse to cover up their incompetence when it comes to PS3 netcode.

  • coolbritannia #52 1 year ago

    Despite the frankly crap analogies, I still can't see how hacks of any kind are Geohot's fault.

  • davisorle #53 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 20:44:35 16-04-2012

  • Bilstar #54 1 year ago

    Smarmy little turd. Go play on the road.

  • Mydoom #55 1 year ago

    what did bubba say to big tonka in the cell next to him about there new fresh white meat?... wont to go halfs in a rape charge.




    nah i'm kinding he wont get lock up in the clink, he may get a reduced fine and a job working for sony in there I.T department.

  • GreatBlackthorn #56 1 year ago

    "But your Honour, I didn't burgle the house! I just picked the locks and left all the doors wide open."

  • TAPNGO #57 1 year ago

    what is the difference of what hotz did and what sony did in 2005.

    http://www.cnet.com/4520-6033_1-6376177-...

  • azix2 #58 1 year ago

    why doesn't any website that reports on the cod hacking EVER mention that it has been going on LONG BEFORE the PS3 was hacked? damn irresponsible fks. I'm better treyarch will blame the messed up blackops performance on the hacks as well and people would forget and buy into the BS.

    also its funny how its all been put on geohot already. The fail0verflow guys had a conference about the hack before geohot stepped into the light. They demonstrated teh hack and mentioned how it was done, then SOMEHOW it all became geohots hack.
    Edited by azix2 at 21/02/11 @ 15:04

  • Mr_SRS #59 1 year ago

    Guilty by association.

  • geordiek #60 1 year ago

    I can't believe he has the cheek to ask for donations in his court case. I'd rather send my money to Sony's legal team.

  • blackbriar101 #61 1 year ago

    It's the regression of the PSN which annoys me the most, instead of dedicated efforts of improving the service, they instead have to research and formulate work arounds for the latest hack. This kid displays the difference between intelligence and wisdom perfectly.

  • Torkin #62 1 year ago

    I wish I could give negative donations.

  • dirtysteve #63 1 year ago

    @Torkin , maybe you could hack his bank account, do nothing, and then post the instructions how to on the internet.

  • arcam #64 1 year ago

    maybe you could hack his bank account, do nothing, and then post the instructions how to on the internet.

    It's been done for chip and PIN, and for the Oyster card.

    You'll notice how no one that discovered or publicised these exploits has gone to jail. If you were caught using these exploits for illegal purposes however, then you'd be in the shit.

    Draw from that analogy what you will.
    Edited by arcam at 21/02/11 @ 20:35

  • DRUNK3N-_-DRAGON #65 1 year ago

    so what about cod4 and w@w hacks then???

  • ps3juggalo #66 1 year ago

    Cheats ARE NOT HIS FAULT!

    is the author of how to add nitrious speed boost to a car liable for when someone uses info to exceed the speed limit? No.
    I can buy a book on how to make a bomb, but only the person that uses the bomb to kill is guilty not the author.

    A hammer may be used as an useful tool or a murder weapon.
    Geohot simply gave a how to get into te system how to, he Never posted a how to cheat how to.

    All these posts metaphors showing guilt are lame.

    FYI one court already ruled Jailbteaking an iPhone IS LEGAL!!
    So legal precedent is on his side.

  • dirtysteve #67 1 year ago

    no, i am in analogy overload, and will not draw anything from any more. Can we have a moratorium on the analogies? It's like the floodgates have opened, and we're all drowning.

  • Butr0sButr0s #68 1 year ago

    None of the cheats, hacks, mods, ect. matter. From a legal standpoint the only thing that matters is he distributed copyrighted material (portions of the firmware and serial codes) and in the process violated sony's copyright agreements and the US digital millenium copyright law. It would be no different then buying a book then posting pages or chapters on the internet, you have no legal right to the sentences, they are the property of the owner.
    Edited by Butr0sButr0s at 22/02/11 @ 00:07

  • mixpython #69 1 year ago

    guys you gotta see what my friend did to his "rap".. sooo funny
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xKOX91vPcc

  • hyuhek #70 1 year ago

    @ps3juggalo

    Finally someone speaking sense on here, thank the lord.

    Ofcourse legal precedent is on his side people - no court in the world would ever side with Sony - no judge would want to be the man to create the scenario in which they admit that a company owns its product after it has been sold. It would raise too many difficult questions about ownership/personal property and the transference of rights regarding the use of property once money has exchanged hands.

    What Geohot did was document the manipulation of a product Sony created and sold. Its not like we are renting our consoles from Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft. Surely once money has exchanged hands, we own the rights to use, alter, and destroy the product in any way we see fit because it belongs to us.

    He has already won - they are just going to cripple him with legal costs, slow him down with cease and desist notifications as the case progresses.

    @Butr0sButr0s

    Yeh that was a bit dumb - distributing the copywrited material was some what dumb. But then again, it is still a tricksy topic, given that he has simply accessed information off a product he now owns, having gained the rights to it after having exchanged money for it? I dunno.

    I should have listened more to my old law-student housemate :-)
    Edited by hyuhek at 22/02/11 @ 05:30

  • KDR_11k #71 1 year ago

    I'm pretty sure Geohot isn't to blame for the PC and 360 problems. MW2 just isn't very cheat-proofed.

  • ps3juggalo #72 1 year ago

    I'm just glad my Chevy isn't like Sony. If it was...

    They'd tell me they have an update to my engine.
    The new engine is better, but it removes my air conditioner.
    This annoys me cuz I like my cool air.
    But Chevy tells me I don't have to update my
    Engine, if I want to keep air condition feature
    That's ok, don't update - I just can't drive it then!!!

  • FireMonkey #73 1 year ago

    @Butr0sButr0s - "None of the cheats, hacks, mods, ect. matter. From a legal standpoint the only thing that matters is he distributed copyrighted material "

    What he did was wrong yes, but the article is about Geohot being blamed for the Call of Duty hacks and him denying it. That is true, in in this case 'that' is what matters. Sony / Activision are trying to cover up the fact that they had crappy client side security by blaming it all on Geohot when nothing to do with these hacks are related to anything Geohot did.

  • funkateer #74 1 year ago

    "Ofcourse legal precedent is on his side people"

    It's not that simple.
    The court decided that Apple's protection was NOT to prevent unlawful copying, but to prevent competition. Therefore an exception to the DMCA was added which specifically mentions smartphones (even jailbreaking an iPad is still illegal).

    Geohot's publishing of the PS3 encryption keys can still be considered an act of copyright protection circumvention, which is illegal. And obviously a PS3 is not a phone.

  • Butr0sButr0s #75 1 year ago

    hyuhek - In the end that's going to be the part that gets him into trouble unfortunately. All of this hearsay about cheats and hacking aren't going to matter in court, what matters is if it can be proven he broke a law, which he did. This has been played out countless times with copyright violations, usually with authors. If you buy a book you can mod it, write it in, edit it, burn it, whatever, its your book. But you cant re-distribute word for word any sections of the book or you'ill probably be facing a lawsuit. You own the book (just like hardware) when you buy it, but you can not claim any legal ownership over the content (like a lot of software and code).

    -Firemonkey. I agree with you 100%. Blame shouldn't be placed on him for the call of duty cheating. I was just focusing on the the current lawsuit against him and what I believe will be the inevitable outcome for better or for worse.