In Theory: Will Sony ban PSN Jailbreakers?

By Richard Leadbetter Published 11 January, 2011

Is PS3 online gaming threatened by hackers?

With the news that infamous iPhone hacker George Hotz has enabled homebrew via a custom firmware patch, speculation is now moving on to what Sony will do to stop unauthorised code running on the PlayStation Network. What exactly can the platform holder monitor from your machine and what steps can Sony take in banning you from the PlayStation Network?

First of all there's an important distinction in the unofficial hacker's "code of conduct" to be aware of: these guys believe that once you buy a machine, you own it and you have the right to run your own programs on it, even if the inevitable consequence of this (by their own admission) is that piracy becomes possible on what was previously a "backup"-proof system. However, hackers are equally adamant that the PlayStation Network, or Xbox Live for that matter, is a service that users subscribe to and for which they have no ownership rights at all. In short, if you do decide to run your own code on a system connected to such a service, you're on your own and should be prepared for the consequences.

Thus far, educated estimates put the amount of Xbox Live bans at well over one million consoles, accounting mostly for users who modified their DVD drive firmwares to run games burned onto DVD. However, Sony has been remarkably restrained in its response to the Jailbreak even though PSN has been vulnerable for some weeks over the last few months. Does the company have the tools to track Jailbroken consoles and if so, why haven't we seen the banhammer fall already?

First up, what does Sony know about what's going on with your console? It is true that when the PS3 boots up - whether you have a PSN account or now - the machine itself communicates with a string of Sony servers, as recently posted on NeoGAF, and a log of applications run on the system is almost certainly transmitted. Similarly, the game you're running at any given point also shows up on your PSN profile, and the chances are that if you run a game from within a "backup manager", then the manager - not the game - will be displayed attached to your PSN account.

According to the terms and conditions of the PlayStation Network, this effectively makes you fair game for a PSN ban of which many variations exist - a timed suspension or even a lifelong ban. The amount of access Sony has to your machine is greater than you probably suspect: the company even has the means to irrevocably disable your console should it so wish, and if that happens, it will remain non-functional whether you're online or offline.

However, despite the options Sony has available, to date there have been no ban waves that we've been aware of, despite Jailbroken consoles being easily detectable. Sony's approach has been very responsible - issuing security updates via new firmwares that automatically lock Jailbreakers out of the PlayStation Network as opposed to issuing outright bans. Sony effectively offers PS3 jailbreakers the opportunity to "go legit" in order to preserve their PSN access.

It was the right solution for its time: a system update is inconvenient for the end-user but for Sony it would be far more of an issue in dealing with the unwelcome publicity of a ban wave. Just the logistics of the customer relations element also makes this the most reasonable approach: why deal with thousands of emails, requests for info from the press and - yes - potentially banning a small amount of innocent users when a new firmware prevents any of this from happening?

Microsoft went the nuclear option with its various ban waves of course, but there is a difference between modifying DVD firmware and running a PS3 jailbreak: opening up your 360, re-flashing the drive and reassembling the machine demonstrates a singular purpose in running burned games. With the USB jailbreaks, all machines were vulnerable and any one could run the dongle on any machine whether they owned it or not. Sony may well have a list of "suspect" consoles, but arbitrarily suspending PSN access without a proof of sustained usage would be an over-reaction. As a knock-on effect, it would obviously stop these people spending money in the PlayStation Store. Updating new firmware and locking out the compromised systems while offering offenders the chance to "go legit" has clearly been the platform holder's MO thus far.

In the short term, expect to see Sony do exactly the same thing. Firmwares 3.42 and 3.5 worked in locking out Jailbroken consoles with the minimum of fuss. Hacks to get compromised consoles onto PSN were neutralised relatively quickly and you can expect the current access Jailbreakers have to PSN with Geohot's hacked software to be revoked imminently with a new system update.

In future firmwares, expect internal checks to be carried out during run-time and on boot to ensure the integrity of GameOS - these are trivial for Sony to code, invisible to the legitimate end-user and much more difficult to reverse-engineer. However, the long term challenge facing the platform holder is a lot stiffer now - the collapse of the security set-up means that any kind of code can be installed on any PS3.

Where Sony is going to face real difficulties is in preventing determined PSN cheaters from adjusting and patching their games. The latest hack isn't just about patching GameOS any more: jailbreakers can change map data, roll back patches and even adjust the game code and re-encrypt it to look like an official update. Determined cheaters could probably use DNS hacks to install suspect code on their console even without the requirement of a custom firmware in the first place. Over and above this, leaving GameOS to the mercies of the hackers could see them reverse-engineer the ways in which PSN games are purchased and activated on the console, opening up another wave of piracy Sony would rather not have to deal with.

The chances are that threats like this are just too big to ignore, and it's surely just a matter of time before Sony's current "soft touch" approach to dealing with Jailbroken PS3s on PSN becomes a thing of the past. If the situation escalates, expect that ban hammer to hit without warning: at the end of the day, running unapproved homebrew code of any description while connected to the PlayStation Network is just a really bad idea...

Picture of Richard.

About Richard Leadbetter

Rich has been a games journalist since the days of 16-bit and specialises in technical analysis. Commonly known around Eurogamer as the Blacksmith of the Future.

Read more articles from Richard by visiting the Richard Leadbetter archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (56) Latest comment 1 year ago

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

  • Dolly #1 1 year ago

    For the sake of gaming on the PSN, the answer has to be that they must.

    MS introduced the banhammer to cut out cheating on LIVE, and if PSN gets an image of being a 'cheaters paradise', I don't think Sony will ever recover.

  • jonsaan #2 1 year ago

    If they would just make Gran T 2 available as a PSN download I'd have zero interest in this anyway.

    Edit: Not GT 2 fans then?
    Edited by jonsaan at 11/01/11 @ 15:16

  • Hunam #3 1 year ago

    Banning people from spending money with you?

  • Dizzy #4 1 year ago

    While Sony is in deep trouble with the collapse of their security I think that cheating on PSN will not happen a lot. While hackers can do anything they want on PS3 now, there are plenty of ways that Sony can try to detect hacked PSN games and in the end I do not think it will be worth it for the cheaters to get those extra few easy headshots ;)

    Copying PSN games will be a much bigger problem to tackle for Sony and for publishers offering their games on PSN. I guess we will find out in a few months.

  • linksdad #5 1 year ago

    I wonder if large scale DNS poisoning could leave PS3 exposed to malware?

  • phycus #6 1 year ago

    Sony should ban consoles, better still if there was a kill switch. If you jailbreak your console then don't use it online.

  • andyk #7 1 year ago

    what is meant by a jailbroken ps3? Is it just geohot's dongle technique or does this include KaKaRoTo's cfw and geohot's cfw too.

  • arcam #8 1 year ago

    better still if there was a kill switch

    There is, apparently.

  • UncleLou #9 1 year ago

    the amount of access Sony has to your machine is greater than you probably suspect: the company even has the means to irrevocably disable your console should it so wish, and if that happens, it will remain non-functional whether you're online or offline

    As much as I despise piracy and would never "mod" my console or whatever, remote-killing the console would not be legal, either, no matter what you do with it, at least not in Germany or I guess anywhere in the EU. Exclude you from a service - yes. Destroy your hardware - no.

  • FuzzyDuck #10 1 year ago

    Whether i'm kicking ass or having it handed to me on a plate, it's just a fookin' game.

    To have such pathetic individuals in any community that would sink their resources into cheating and ruining the experience (which costs free time and money) for everybody else?

    May Sony swing that banhammer as if there was no tomorrow.
    Edited by FuzzyDuck at 11/01/11 @ 16:03

  • Beano #11 1 year ago

    "While Sony is in deep trouble with the collapse of their security I think that cheating on PSN will not happen a lot."

    I hope you are right - at least many PS3 online games have the advantage of dedicated servers (MAG, Resistance, Killzone, etc) where most gameplay logic usually is performed - that would make it far harder to hack and easier to detect the cheats that do get through and block the cheaters centrally. Peer-2-peer online games (like COD) will be harder to protect.

  • Dolly #12 1 year ago

    "better still if there was a kill switch"

    "There is, apparently."

    It's called YLOD. Something had to start getting those slims shifted!

  • JohnnyWashnGo #13 1 year ago

    I fear the slowness of any real response from Sony to this situation is less to do with them being kind and benevolent and more to do with them trying to create a cast iron solution to the problem whilst at the same time probably engaging their legal department to determine just what they can do, remotely, to PS3s to prevent the PSN being compromised and from too much damage being done to their reputation.

    Surely publishers can't be too happy with the prospect of their games being backed up whether they are from discs or the PSN?

  • mingster #14 1 year ago

    Buy another PS3 if you have to have online functionality
    Keep you jailbroken one offline

  • Dizzy #15 1 year ago

    "at least many PS3 online games have the advantage of dedicated servers (MAG, Resistance, Killzone, etc) where most gameplay logic usually is performed - that would make it far harder to hack and easier to detect the cheats that do get through and block the cheaters centrally. Peer-2-peer online games (like COD) will be harder to protect. "

    Only slightly harder since these dedicated server games are not prepared for hackers atm. So who knows how tight their netcode really is? Maybe you could just send any packet and they will accept it? Unlike on the PC, where dedicated server are almost expected to be attacked by cheaters. They have a lot of extra security in place.

    But yeah... they can change the code of the servers to be more secure. That will cost some time and effort ofc.

  • Raznilof #16 1 year ago

    @dizzy, I think it is not so much the question if it is worth those extra few headshots. more the perception or even idea that people could be cheating will make gamers (who loose) assume people ARE cheating (even if they where not) and that can quickly ruin an entire community of on-line gamers.

    It is indeed good that most servers (ironically on the free network and not on the "paid" one) are dedicated as it will be easier to detect cheating. A good cheater though knows it's not just about changing the outcome, just changing the odds, and that's hard to confirm.

  • jtodroc #17 1 year ago

    Just on the subject of online cheating.

    I was playing Search & Destroy on MW2 last week and it was impossible to shoot a guy on the opposition team. The only way of killing him was to knife him. I've never seen this on MW2 so don't know if he was using a weel-known exploit but it was genuinely impossible to kill him with a gun.
    Edited by jtodroc at 11/01/11 @ 14:58

  • orangpelupa #18 1 year ago

    in Xbox, with DVD CFW gamer can play pirated games but CANT CHEAT.
    microsoft do Ban wave

    in PS3, with CFW gamer can play pirated games and CAN Cheat.
    sony currently not banning.

    it seems Microsoft are overprotective, or
    sony is too lax...

    need to do the banning. Online cheating is not good experience.
    Btw is PS3 use some kind of anti cheat like PunkBuster (like PC)? or its completely rely to the inability to run unsigned codes (like xbox)?

  • Beano #19 1 year ago

    "Only slightly harder since these dedicated server games are not prepared for hackers atm. "

    No, since the logic is mainly on the servers the hacks can be easier to detect and block - it developers feel like it. Sure there is work involved (especially after release) but still far better than p2p where gameplay logic is 100% on the client.

    New PS3 online games will surely be designed with this in mind now :)
    Edited by Beano at 11/01/11 @ 15:05

  • HisDudness #20 1 year ago

    UC3 dedicated servers confirmed?

  • dingo75 #21 1 year ago

    Buy another PS3 if you have to have online functionality
    Keep you jailbroken one offline


    Same like with the Xbox 360.
    If I'd wanted to use a modified console + go online I would buy 2 it's really simple logic.
    Either the homebrew stuff is worth this additional investment or it's not for oneself.

    I don't understand how people could be so stupid and go online with a hacked console.
    They deserve every ban possible for their stupidity!

    Disclaimer: I only own a Wii so far of the 3 next-gen consoles and don't intend to let it get modified.
    The other 2 will be picked up later as I did with PS2 and GC.

  • vizzini #22 1 year ago

    The killswitch in the Playstation 3 is probably to jettison the hypervisor software (which is also responsible for mapping out the underlying hardware that enumerates to software that runs). The system wouldn't be dead, it would just have no bios/OS

    So killing a system by removing software that is licensed (not bought) when the license argreement is breached should meet with worldwide legal requirements, in the same way Windows Xp/Vista/7/Office stop working if not activated within 30 days.

  • randompanda #23 1 year ago

    Are people using this for cheating already?

  • raloB #24 1 year ago

    What happenend to PSP users with CFW? There's your answer.

  • Murton #25 1 year ago

    "The latest hack isn't just about patching GameOS any more: jailbreakers can change map data, roll back patches and even adjust the game code and re-encrypt it to look like an official update"

    Erm, I'm not sure about that Rich. If someone was to write their own update and then attempt to play online with it the server would detect said change and not allow them to connect due to them not having the same version, same thing goes if they attempted to host and legit people joined.

    This could however prove an issue in single player offline gaming and more importantly the trophy system where hacks that gift platinum trophies could potentially be developed, which would completely undermine any trophy reward system that Sony hopes to implement in the future where we gamers would actually get something to show for our efforts.

  • toy_brain #26 1 year ago

    "As much as I despise piracy and would never "mod" my console or whatever, remote-killing the console would not be legal, either, no matter what you do with it, at least not in Germany or I guess anywhere in the EU. Exclude you from a service - yes. Destroy your hardware - no. "

    Nobody ever bothers to read TAC text when they buy a console, but its there, and usually stuck somewhere that you cannot miss in the process of unpacking the thing - often its in the form of "by breaking this seal you are agreeing to the following terms...".
    Probably worth giving it a read. I dont remember what the PS3s is specifically, but past consoles I've owned specify that you are not buying the consle to own in the traditional sense, but are in fact buying a 'licence to use', and keeping that licence involves abiding by specific terms.
    Sony probably covered themselves quite fully in the TAC, and provided they retain the evidence collected to justify the action, can brick your PS3 and leave you without a legal leg to stand on.

  • Ferral #27 1 year ago

    To stop cheaters on PSN Sony should develop something similar to Steam and VAC, problem would be solved easily and automatically.

    Piracy side of things, its going to be a tough one for Sony to sort this one out given the nature of the hack. From reading articles on what has been done the hardware I.D and keys have been compromised. Now they are going to have to work out how to secure this again, if it can be done.

  • Dizzy #28 1 year ago

    "To stop cheaters on PSN Sony should develop something similar to Steam and VAC, problem would be solved easily and automatically. "

    Steam DRM doesn't work as well when your master encryption keys are public. Sony will need to invent some new tricks and be creative.

  • UncleLou #29 1 year ago

    Sony probably covered themselves quite fully in the TAC, and provided they retain the evidence collected to justify the action, can brick your PS3 and leave you without a legal leg to stand on.

    They can't just write what they want in TACs. Well, actually they can, but just because it's there doesn't mean it's valid. And any clause whatsoever that lets them destroy your hardware most certainly isn't.
    Edited by UncleLou at 11/01/11 @ 17:48

  • aidey6 #30 1 year ago

    Do Sony only monitor based on your PSN id and not your IP, would that mean hackers create a seperate PSN account for running cracked software???!!

    I know that External HDD are getting cheaper, but that'd be alot of data to store, especially Sony's 1st party stuff which does take up alot of a BD

    I hope that a solutiion is found (I doubt it) but then Sony have had an extrodinary good piece of fortune in that it has taken longer than expected for an exploit in their security to appear on this as their previous consoles were hacked in a far quicker time frame.

    Will it really have a detrimental effect on sales of software, as the Wii, DS and 360 are known to run pirated software and just look at the sales of titles on those machines.

    Short term yes Sony is pissed, but if they look at this rationally, find a long term solution and keep evolving the machine...

  • arcam #31 1 year ago

    Steam DRM doesn't work as well when your master encryption keys are public.

    VAC has nothing to do with DRM or master keys.

  • Murton #32 1 year ago

    On the piracy side of things as discussed in previous threads, a firmware update could restore a secure key, but a whitelist of all officially signed software to date would be required so as not to render the thousands of games released so far unlaunchable.

    While that's being done a repeat of the previous firmware trick to keep unsigned code off of the PSN shall suffice. The article also fails to mention the other side of Sony's "go legit" strategy. Going legit allows you to retain PSN access, which is nice but during the months immediately following the PSP being cracked there was a flood of new firmware that brought some pretty nice additional features, we could see a similar strategy with the PS3 where a lot of the stuff we've been asking for becomes the carrot to go legit while Sony figure out just what size of stick it should use for those who fall off the wagon.

  • Ferral #33 1 year ago

    Like I said, something similar to VAC when it comes to cheaters so they get blocked from the servers. Works really well for Valve.

    Its going to interesting to see what Sony actually come up with, stronger DRM like what Ubi used on AC2 on the PC implemented somehow on the console?

    Problem here is that the keys are built into the hardware.

    No doubt if people are running a full game without the disc present directly from the hard disc, they should be able to recognise that and block users that way. Or something that possibly checks at intervals that the correct game disc is actually in the console, if not then the game stops until the origional disc is put in. Only problem with that is users that dont have an internet connection would have problems.

  • Lord-Nicon #34 1 year ago

    The only thing i can say is: if u buy a product u have the right to do whatever the hell u want with it, if they are going to ban from psn then it's allright, but banning the console from playing offline , thats just ilegal, then don't sell the console rent it.

  • lockload #35 1 year ago

    Everything wrote above is irrelevant for the private key as its not a hack

    Sony has no way to tell a home brew app/game from a real one as they look exactly the same signed using the same key
    Edited by lockload at 11/01/11 @ 19:29

  • Lord_Gremlin #36 1 year ago

    Cheating? Cheating is THE reason I abandoned PC gaming (and PC gaming is superior in many ways). Sony better ban all these fuckers as soon as possible.

  • AusFreelancer #37 1 year ago

    @lockload

    Wrong. See TheDrifter's post (3rd before yours). Sony can definitely tell, if it shows on your friends list, i'm also sure they have "other" ways as well.

  • Ferral #38 1 year ago

    Top and bottom of it boils down to using homebrew apps. In all honesty, yeah there are a few legit homebrew apps out there that some people may genuinly want to use them. However, most people that decide to hack their systems arnt just interested in homebrew. They do it because they want to run pirate games on the system.

    Way to go really, people that have nothing better to do hack the system and start ruining things for legit users. Piracy starts running rife. Where does that leave Sony, not wanting to actually create a console? Development costs that could go towards something new on the PS3 or next gen of the machine gets ploughed back into an existing machine security. Just a hypothetical situation there of course.

  • BlinkeredAxis #39 1 year ago

    Sony may have made some poor design decisions, but you have to respect the way they've handled this so far.

    As for MS, the harsh light of reality has been on for much longer. I reluctantly have had to report cheats in MW2, when the RPG exploit was being abused, ususally resulting in short bans (a few hours I think). The more serious charge of piracy needs to be dealt with as brutally as possible, but of course you need to prove it. Sony are right to give cheats a chance to 'go straight'.

    Personally, I like a lot of big budget games, which won't get made if piracy goes unchecked.

  • byakuya83 #40 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 10:03:41 30-03-2012

  • GigaGaia #41 1 year ago

    Sony can ban your console, but really, they can't brick your console. There is no kill switch. They'd have to remotely modifiy files on your ps3 without you knowing and they can't do that.

    Also, that would violate a lot of laws in every countries on the planet, so even if they could, they won't.

  • Totoriko #42 1 year ago

    Is there anything worth getting on PSN anyway? It's been two years since my PS3 has been without network.

  • DRUNK3N-_-DRAGON #43 1 year ago

    @jtodroc
    that was a hacked lobby u were in as ive been in loads...i would like to know why these hackers get away with it! every 1 in 5 games on Mw2 is hacked...just the other night me and my m8 went in and played s&d and the screen started flashing all sorts of colours and then a bid massive canabis leave appeared on screen so i immediately left the lobby only to realise that a few titles n emblems were gone as were my hard earned fall camos for my weapons..WTF i thought, ive been robbed! i just can't wait for the next best FPS to come along that doesn't have the letters COD on the box...Mw2 most fucked up cod of all time!

  • solidSnake04 #44 1 year ago

    you gotta admit... pwning someone using a hacked game has gotta be the greatest thing ever.

  • MadDoggyca #45 1 year ago

    [link url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38413597/ns/technology_and_science-wireless/
    ]http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38413597/ns/...[/link]

    can sony even do this legaly.. from what I understand, A new US law give users/owners the right to modify devices.

    “•allow people to break technical protections on video games to investigate or correct security flaws.”

    “Jennifer Stisa Granick, EFF’s civil liberties director, said the rules are based on an important principle:

    Consumers should be allowed to use and modify the devices that they purchase the way they want. “If you bought it, you own it,” she said.”
    --------------

    also what happens if your a paid NetFlex user and use your PS3 tohave accese to your paid netflex service.. I know on the ps3 u have to be signed into PSN to even be able to sign into netflex. I could see netflex sueing sony over losing netflex users to not not being albe to sign into netflex and use it.

    also what happens if your a major PSN Buyer that bought a crap load of PSN titles/DLC. I not sure sony has a leg on banning users that are netflex or massive psn shoppers...

    also useing home Brews is not really a bad thing.. If sony would have let us have a file manager in the first place and not Copy Protect Game Data we wouldn;t be looking at CFW/Home Brews in the first place...

    has any one used the SingStar Store... The EULA is a joke. Only alowe to download one console only. and not back the data up..thats robery in it self. I had to use a file manger to back up the singstar download data. all 11 GIG of bought songs....

    but quite simple sony starts banning PS3 Netflex users and they will have lawsuits one after another...

  • orangpelupa #46 1 year ago

    @lord gremlin
    maybe you play console game that sloppy ported to PC?

    a -good- PC game usually ship with PunkBuster. Its successfully banning cheaters. Even the private cheats can be detected (although not as fast as public cheat).

    also you can just report to admin, then BAM! the cheater got banned :)
    like Fragnetics server for BFBC2,
    the admin have rules : ban first, talk later :D

  • MadDoggyca #47 1 year ago

    I sence that 4Chan and Anonymouse on the move to ddos sony soon.lol

  • toa_boa #48 1 year ago

    Europaen EULA for anyone interested:

    [link url=http://www.scei.co.jp/ps3-eula/ps3_eula_en.html
    ]http://www.scei.co.jp/ps3-eula/ps3_eula_...[/link]

    Quoted;

    7. TERMINATION
    If SCE determines that you have violated the terms of this Agreement, SCE may take all actions to protect its interests, including denial of any services such as warranty services and repair services provided for your PS3™ system and termination of your access to PlayStation®Network, implementation of upgrades or devices intended to discontinue unauthorized use, or reliance on any other remedial efforts as reasonably necessary to prevent the use of a modified PS3™ system, or any pirated material or equipment. SCE and its licensors reserve the right to bring legal action in the event of a violation of this Agreement. SCE reserves the right to participate in any government or private legal action or investigation relating to your conduct.


    While Sony tries to reserve its right to 'any other remedial efforts' to stop PS3 owners from using modified systems, it's highly unlikely that Sony resorting to actually stopping PS3 from working wholesale would be legal in the EU. Sony also gets you to sign off on a 'total no liability' clause, which from any legal standpoint is total nonsense.

  • lostlain #49 1 year ago

    But cheating is already pretty widespread on PS3.. well on Modern Warfare 2 anyway. My bro' was playing last night and found himself in a server full of weirdness, amongst all the cheating he also found that on exiting the game his level was at 70. Now making the grind for experience points pointless. Do sony or EA do anything about this? no.

  • princefarr #50 1 year ago

    Therefore, it seems that those responsible for backup is the problem. OK, and then everyone stays connected and disconnected from the Internet until the hackers can find a way to play without backup manager. Like the PSP. Douchey Although the PS3 is still sending data, even if not online.

    mobile app builder

  • 3william56 #51 1 year ago

    Hmmm... with Hots and the FailOverflow guys so keen to prevent piracy, I'm sure they'll hide a nice, easily identified function in their custom firmware code to enable it to be detected by the PSN, and cheaters and pirates banned...

    ...

    ...

    Nah, thought not. Hypocrites.

  • darth_paul #52 1 year ago

    ...so? keep out of the net :p

  • SyCoDeath #53 1 year ago

    OMFG...... NO CHEATERS ON XBOX LIVE??????
    I own both machines. I played MW2 the other day and could not believe that some guys had 10 Stealth Bombers (AKA. Super Bombardment) oh yeah, did i mention he had it all the time...
    When the killcam appeared, he would have a menu appear. I hate that crap, i may suck at COD, but i love it, i want to die by getting shot in the face, not some twat cheating...
    The PS3 JB is good for HomeBrew (ONLY) but crap for everything else. Piracy is shit and makes great games only come out once in a while. I believe in free speech and the digital age, but dont ruin everything for the rest of us gamers...

    SyCo

    @ - 3william56 - These guys wont hide the fact people are cheating or pirates, as they have only opened the system. They do not decide who gets caught. It is the other programmers who are deciding to open the system further for the use with piracy... JailBreakers have really , only proved that the system is Un-Hackable...
    Edited by SyCoDeath at 12/01/11 @ 21:52

  • stepleftstepright #54 1 year ago

    One thing people don't seem to think about.

    XBL is a paid service.
    PSN isn't.

    Can Sony be able to detect the hacked consoles reliably and automatically disable them?
    I am a bit skeptical in Sony's ability to do this.

  • trixter_ie #55 1 year ago

    Lets look at what he is saying.


    fus01.ps3.update.playstation.net > Update Server (sys updates)

    This gets (does not send) a simple file that tells if there are any updates, ie what the latest firmware is.

    mercury.dl.playstation.net > What's new ads
    nsx.np.dl.playstation.net > playstation store preview
    nsx-e.np.dl.playstation.net > ads

    This just gets the ads, again no list of recently run executables.


    (main file exchange connections)
    us.np.stun.playstation.net > on boot initiates connection
    STUN is an RFC defined protocol to detect NAT and be able to work around it, this enables things like voice chat and games to work. You also do not send anything about your ps3 activity through this.


    ena.net.playstation.net > SSLv3 connection after above connection
    dus01.ps3.update.playstation.net > secondary update attempt (could force updates)

    I have not looked at these yet, I will though but it is my guess nothing sinister is going on.



    auth.np.ac.playstation.net > SSLv3 authentication server
    This is for authentication to PSN - if its done at boot it means you have auto signin enabled.
    This contains your PSN email, password and serial number. 2 HTTP headers and the data are below, there is no provision for sending recent activity

    X-Platform-Passphrase: [a hash or something else which I am unsure of the meaning right now]
    X-Platform-Version: PS3 03.55

    type=0&serviceid=EP9000-NPEA00013_00&loginid=MY@PSN.EMAIL.ADDR&password=MYPASSWORD&consoleid=0000000ou812ou812ou812ou812ou81200000000000000000000000000000000


    And finally something that was not mentioned. ANYTIME you execute an app, official or not, an update check is done to see if there are any software updates available. The APPID/GUUID for the title is sent to sony in the form of a GET request, at most they would know the IP you are using and what title you ran. This can be cross referenced for psn logins or other things that do identify you as a user but currently that does not appear to be the case. This is nothing new.

    Example for PS Home (which returns the 1.41 update XML so you can see what it looks like):
    [link url=https://a0.ww.np.dl.playstation.net/tpl/np/NPIA00005/NPIA00005-ver.xml
    ]https://a0.ww.np.dl.playstation.net/tpl/...[/link]

    So if you run a backup manager that APPID is sent to sony, they know you ran it. If you then launch a game that does PSN stuff they will know your device ID and PSN user name (same IP in a short period of time).

    There are many more privacy issues about what you do on your ps3 that I am documenting and will be releasing. I might release them at CCCamp '11 for those that are going. 3rd party developers are far worse about grabbing information about you they have no business grabbing than sony is.

  • clerigo #56 1 year ago

    I hope that SONY ban ALL jailbroken PS3's.

    Let the banhammer start the slaughter...