Sony threatens to pursue legal action against PS3 hackers

By Games Industry.biz Published 12 June, 2007

Aggressively and everything.

Following reports that hackers have cracked PlayStation 3's anti-piracy softare, 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.

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Comments (52) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • BadBoyBonner #1 5 years ago

    "Which could be a costly mistake!" - HAHAHA even Sony agree the PS3 is costly! lol
    Edited by 1 at 12/06/07 @ 20:40

  • Xerx3s #2 5 years ago

    Oh dear.

  • Steroyd #3 5 years ago

    Huh?

  • captain-future #4 5 years ago

    Wheeeeee!

  • Dizzy #5 5 years ago

    >Too bad BD-Rs cost as much as a used game.

    95% of PS3 games fit on DVD anyway.

  • chupachups #6 5 years ago

    "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."

    Can't you already run homebrew code officially by booting the PS3 with Linux?

    In any case, homebrew is a laughable figleaf, we all know that the most significant effect of cracking the protection is an increase in piracy.

  • Hench #7 5 years ago

    "Following reports that hackers have cracked PlayStation 3's anti-piracy softare"

    lol, quick to get it on the page ay or too late for ya?
    Edited by 1 at 12/06/07 @ 21:24

  • Walshicus #8 5 years ago

    Banned from Playstation Network? Wouldn't that be a shame...

  • mattigan #9 5 years ago

    Threatening legal action against hackers = Red rag to a bull!

  • Xerx3s #10 5 years ago

    Ah yes, the eternally cheerful person with verbal compliments for fellow website users. Who wouldn't want him on his fl.

  • dsmx #11 5 years ago

    When are companies going to learn that you can't beat piracy? Why not spend the same money on making games instead of legal action?

  • ProtoformX #12 5 years ago

    It would be nice if the hackers started to work for Sony and contributed something legitimate to the advancement of the PS3. But then again, I think I see why they don't - if they worked for Sony and expressed a desire to make the console region-free, etc Sony wouldn't let them. At least as hackers whilst they're not supposed to be dojng this stuff, at least they can.

  • BadBoyBonner #13 5 years ago

    Cthulhu_steev

    Any chance you could interpret that into English for me? Mainly so I can respond with a worth while reply.


  • crazyhorse174 #14 5 years ago

    As much as I can say that I'm not the biggest Sony lover in the world and equally I dont hate them, I dont understand why there are a lot of people pissed off that their cracking down on piracy. they have every right to do this - it is breaking the law after all.

  • GamesConnoisseur #15 5 years ago

    Piracy is a filthy abmoniation, anyone who have 'backup' DS game, PSP, PC or even had copied games for Amiga/Spectrum will be damned for ever, they will scream for fire to be put out but if Sony people are there, they will add tanker sized fuel and have a BBQ!

    Seriously, we know that if piracy is not managed or prevented from becoming mainstream, then good people in the industry will be on the dole and we only get educational or commerical flash games. No more Gear of War, Legend of Zelda, Final Fanasty XII (add your favourite game here).

  • The-Bodybuilder #16 5 years ago

    Sony should just do what MS does, inhibit every console with the potential of the "Ring of Red", ensuring no one dares to mod thier console, as sooner or later it WILL be sent to MS.

  • Katsumoto #17 5 years ago

    so to summarise, "hate hate hate hate"

  • paul_haine #18 5 years ago

    Sega CD? What?

  • BadBoyBonner #19 5 years ago

    I do not think that most of us hate the Sony band wagon at the moment.

    Most of us are just waiting for a good enough reason to jump on board for another fantastic ride.

  • jakswan #20 5 years ago

    Piracy isn't mainstream now :) Jeez next you'll have a Bill Gates fanclub going.

  • BadBoyBonner #21 5 years ago

    http://ww w.geocities.com/saurabh_jain100...

  • Monkey-Wizard-Ken #22 5 years ago

    Is there a hack to fix the price?

  • Pablo2k5 #23 5 years ago

    BadBoyBonner wrote... "http://ww w.geocities.com/saurabh_jain100...

    Bill Gates fanclub??? You gotta b e fucking kidding me ROFFLES!!!1111

  • miiiguel #24 5 years ago

    Wonga: the discs are not full. Like said above, most games fit on a dvd9. The only bigger is RFoM - and I really wonder why...?, It's not like the game is that huge or complex, but anyways... .

  • miiiguel #25 5 years ago

    disc: yes, you're right. I wonder why they don't release the ones that fit (the majority) on DVD9? Since they ship at identical prices, someone is wining less, by selling it in a bigger bag, not really needed, right ?
    Edited by 1 at 13/06/07 @ 02:07

  • Daikon #26 5 years ago

    I bet these same hackers will get Okami and Castlevania running properly on European PS3s before Sony does.

  • cobracotton #27 5 years ago

    cthulhu_steev ROFLMAO i think I need medical assistance cos I laughed at your post, "to the beat to the beat to the beat" what are you on about man? thats hilarious were you mainlining glue / drinking a pint of petrol when you made that post?

  • Dizzy #28 5 years ago

    "Dizzy: Genji, Motorstorm, Resistance, F1, NFS:MW are examples of games that do not fit on a DVD. I'm not sure it is 95% if you count the exclusives titles since they do not have the same disc limitations as multiplatform titles. "

    *bullshit*

    Anyway... hackers usually remove files that are not needed... like movies and duplicate data. You can't say with a straight face that these games use more than a DVD in data or textures.

  • moonowl17 #29 5 years ago

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

    Not sure if the spelling mistake is on puropse or not... but good luck Sony, lets see how you deal with this one!

  • bioreit #30 5 years ago

    @ frod, disc:

    It amazes me that the last time this discussion came up in a long Eurogamer comments thread, that everyone ignored the excellent point someone else made.

    Yes, the 360 DVD is way smaller than a Blu-Ray single-layer disc (even more so than the dual-layer), but Microsoft has some pretty impressive compression techniques and all they need to do is acquire these guys:

    [link url=http://www.theprodukkt.co m/
    ]http://www.theprodukkt.co m/
    [/link]

    and Microsoft will laugh itself into a coma at how much it could fit onto a standard DVD.

  • RexRunti #31 5 years ago

    OK piracy is bad OK. I know lots of people will use the games are too expensive argument. Well a) get a job b) what isn't too expensive? The cost of a DVD-R? There really is no argument for piracy and the death of the Amiga is a pretty strong argument against.

    PS @disc How come NFS:MW works on a 360 if it won't fit on the disc?

  • zuljin #32 5 years ago

    @dsmx
    "When are companies going to learn that you can't beat piracy? Why not spend the same money on making games instead of legal action?"

    Lol. Why bother spending money fighting crime, when a town should really be spending its money on more casinos and brothels...

    @bioreit
    3rd parties come and go... If they can pull off everything they say they can, great, but I've been waiting for Endorphin to become practical enough to implement in a game for 2 years. As far as I know, I don't actually know of any 3rd party (as in - outside of the games industry) technologies which have become regulars in games.

  • zuljin #33 5 years ago

    @disc
    Right.

    Now go back to my post and read what I said.

    Outside of the games industry. I use Havok every day by the way. NaturalMotion probably comes the closest to it, which isn't exclusively to the games industry, but still is used in very few games.

    My point was that; like the links you posted yesterday, they are not new technology. But having a paper on something, or a program that does something, is still miles away from actual use in a game.

  • zuljin #34 5 years ago

    @disc
    Not quite the same still. Thats all offline generation. The only thing that pops into my head would be decompression/video/music codecs, but then they are so popular a company would just use whichever is cheapest.

    Don't get me wrong, if they can pull it off great, but I attended a seminar on (forgot the actual name) a materials tool, to define different types of object in a world.

    Not too many people seemed to be interested, but then that could have been due to them making ridiculous statements like "we model particles to the molecular level".

  • spongebob #35 5 years ago

    Funny thread. All over the place.

  • bioreit #36 5 years ago

    @ spongebob

    Yeah. I mean, what's up with the BNP - I haven't heard anything suitably racist or bigoted from them in a LOOOOONG time.

  • Meho #37 5 years ago

    Sony can, like, fuck off back to their legal department and see if they actually have legal backing for this idiocy they are spouting off about. In the US ov A it might be illegal to hack the console due to the DMCA but US ov A is not the whole world. In most of the rest of the world, you bought it, you can do whatever the hell you want with it providing you don't break laws. No one can sue you for altering the code in the firmware or whatever of the PS3 you own.

  • bioreit #38 5 years ago

    oooooooooooooooookay then.

    /backs away slowly, puts valuables in a bag.

    /pegs it from thread.

  • zuljin #39 5 years ago

    @Meho
    Since Bioreit ran away like a little girl, I guess I'll take this one (huffs chest)

    "In most of the rest of the world, you bought it, you can do whatever the hell you want with it providing you don't break laws. No one can sue you for altering the code in the firmware or whatever of the PS3 you own."

    You managed to contradict yourself there. "Providing you don't break laws" and "noone can sue for altering code". When you buy a piece of software you agree to the terms and conditions, that usage is as governed by the owner - not you but the creator/writer.

    Legally this is a no brainer. They may not be able to sue, but I'm sure they'd have no problem getting a criminal record on someone caught. But then, I think thats the hard part, to actually catch someone...

  • bioreit #40 5 years ago

    /peeks head over top of thread

    Thanks Zul

    /cuddles teddy

  • Meho #41 5 years ago

    No, EULA, especially shrinkwrapped EULA (as is the case with most retails software and hardware) are not considered proper agreements by most European courts (and how could they be, you are being faced with an agreement AFTER you have paid for the product). So, providing you didn't break copyright (for instance made and sold copies of the code), which would be illegal, altering the code to do legal things with it is perfectly within the boundaries of the law.

    I mean, imagine buying an iron and 'hacking' it so that it uses less power to do the work and then being sued by the manufacturer for voiding your 'agreement'? This is basically the same thing, no?

  • bioreit #42 5 years ago

    No. It would be akin to 'hacking' your iron to use your neighbour's electricity rather than your own - whether you choose to use it in this way or not, it is the capability of that fact that causes the problem.
    Edited by 1 at 13/06/07 @ 13:00

  • zuljin #43 5 years ago

    @Meho
    Actually an EULA agreement is enforcable as long as the user is approached with it. If product use forces you to agree, then you have a contract.

    [link url=http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/Eula
    ]http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/Eula
    [/link]

    About the iron analogy, whats wrong with that? You still don't have this (EULA) agreement however, and usually the only agreement they would have with the consumer would be "improper usage will void your warranty".

  • Meho #44 5 years ago

    Zul: I am quoting from the wikipedia page you posted the link for:

    "Enforceability
    The enforceability of an EULA depends on several factors, one of them being the court in which the case is heard. Most courts that have addressed the validity of the shrinkwrap license agreements have found them to be invalid, characterizing them as contracts of adhesion, unconscionable, and/or unacceptable pursuant to the U.C.C. —see, for instance, Step-Saver Data Systems, Inc. v. Wyse Technology (939 F.2d 91) etc. etc."

    bio: Your argument is valid in the US where DMCA enables corporations to sue you upon PRESUMPTION that you are going to violate the copyright or that your activities might lead someone else to violate the copyright. Needless to say, in other countries this kind of legislation does not exist because the presumption of, let's call it innocence or good will is a default one.

  • bioreit #45 5 years ago

    @ Meho

    Granted in many countries such as China and North Korea, many patent/copyright protection laws are not recognised and indeed, the USA is currently considering whether American copyright and patent assertions can be applied worldwide.

    However, most of the wealthier countries, especially those within the EU, would find themselves hard-pressed to justify their citizens knowingly bypassing copyright protection devices. And seeing as those markets are the biggest ones that companeis like Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are concerned with, those are likely the ones that will have pressure placed on them to enforce this kind of thing under law.

  • jakswan #46 5 years ago

    Every thread on piracy seems to boil down to the argument of 'legal or illegal' when legal or wrong are completely different things.

    Legal / illegal the government decides, right / wrong is a personal thing.

    I mean Bill Gates and his billions, legal (so far), right or wrong, make your own mind up.

    /me wins award for stating obvious

  • Meho #47 5 years ago

    Bio: But we are not talking about either patent or copyright violation here, this is what I am pointing out. And while I am sure what you are saying is right (EU governments being lobbyed by the likes of Sony to pass legislation similar to the American DMCA), that doesn't change the fact that at the moment Sony has no legal ground to sue you or me (providing we don't live in the US) for tampering with the code.

    Jak: this discussion has 'boiled down' to legal/ illegal because that was the topic of the piece of news we were commenting on. I, for one, have not even tried making moral or ethical judgements here, just commented about the threats Sony is making not being based in legislation.

  • bioreit #48 5 years ago

    Meho:

    The EU Copyright Directive disagrees with you on your "outside the USA and away from the DMCA, it's all ok" argument.

  • Meho #49 5 years ago

    Example?

  • bioreit #50 5 years ago

    Here you go:

    [link url=htt p://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4650225.stm
    ]http://ne ws.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/46...[/link]

    And if you can't be bothered to read the article, here's one sailent piece of information:

    "The conviction is the first of its kind in the UK, where the modification of video games consoles has been an illegal practice since October 2003, when the UK enacted the EU Copyright Directive."

    Which shows that the UK (which, last time I checked, was outside the USA) also says that "altering the firmware or whatever" is illegal.

    So you're statement that this news

    "doesn't change the fact that at the moment Sony has no legal ground to sue you or me (providing we don't live in the US) for tampering with the code"

    is, I'm afraid, wrong in at LEAST this country and most likely in most other EU countries, seeing as the UK took this law from the aforementioned EU Copyright Directive.

  • Jas315 #51 5 years ago

    You people are an embarrassment to Humanity. I.E - Gamespot wannabe's

  • bioreit #52 5 years ago

    Least I don't subject my punctuation to cruel and unusual punishment...