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Sony sues George 'geohot' Hotz and fail0verflow over PS3 jailbreak.

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H_Prestige said:
Without usb updates, would you be able to upgrade your hdd?

Via game disk with the latest firmware update or via install disk provided by Sony, if they move to go in this direction.
 
Sylvrfonic said:
Sony has to do what it can to protect content owners and PSN users whose private information may be stored on PSN servers (e.g. credit card numbers, email..ect...) CFW on PSN opens the potential for security breeches as yet unseen on consoles. While a lawsuit is not a good card it's the only card they have to play. When it ultimately fails at least they will be able to tell customers and content holders that they did all they could.

CFW can speed up innovation and extend the capabilities of a console in cool ways. It just sucks that it opens the door for pirates, thieves and cheaters.

You can't blame the gun but by the same token you can't blame the victim either. Sony, its content partners nor its customers deserve to be stolen from. Piracy sucks.

Sony doesn't deserve to be stolen from.
They do deserve to have their system blown open if they leave their security so...non-existent, and antagonize the users of their system by removing paid features from it.

Also, why would CFW allow people to steal information stored on Sony's servers? The CFW affects the hardware itself, not Sony's servers.
 
Jobiensis said:
Only if they close the proxy hole. Since the keys are known, any new firmware can be dumped and looked over to find other exploits and avenues of attack.

The average joe isn't going to have the know-how to get around the network update once the restrictions are in place.
 
H_Prestige said:
Without usb updates, would you be able to upgrade your hdd?

The idea is Sony releases a 3.6 firmware where the upgrade hdd routine has been written and now prompts for a BD-ROM firmware disc (with 3.6 or higher).

Yes, it would piss off non-jailbroken PS3 owners who are upgrading their hard drives. But a HDD upgrade isn't exactly an emergency. If you don't have the disc you can go back to your old HDD for a couple of days while the disc is being shipped.
 
captmcblack said:
Sony doesn't deserve to be stolen from.
They do deserve to have their system blown open if they leave their security so...non-existent, and antagonize the users of their system by removing paid features from it.

Also, why would CFW allow people to steal information stored on Sony's servers? The CFW affects the hardware itself, not Sony's servers.

because CFW allows access to PSN and you can run stuff online, who knows what PSN app they will make
 
Jobiensis said:
Only if they close the proxy hole. Since the keys are known, any new firmware can be dumped and looked over to find other exploits and avenues of attack.

There will always be additional attempts because of the fact that the keys are released. However, this is the only possible solution for what's going on right now. Does it mean it will always be safe? Absolutely not, but it is the quickest, easiest, and as of right now only effective way for the current batch of modified firmware to be shut down from Sony's perspective. There is no other way that would guarantee a stop to delivery as of right now.
 
Jobiensis said:
The geohot exploit that started it all happened after the Slim was released without OtherOS.

The Slim was never mentioned to have OtherOS, as a matter of fact it was on the press release at the time of its announcement and mentioned in different gaming sites.


As for OtherOS for the phat

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/26/ps3-hacked-geohot-releases-coveted-ps3-exploit/

January, 3 full months before Sony got rid of OtherOS, and that's just geohot, I havent even bothered to look any further.
 
Brazil said:
There's also a witch hunt for people who don't support homebrew here. And it seems to be stronger.

People have the right to want homebrew and "use their platform in all it's potential" and whatnot, but apparently others don't have the right to wish for a safe, cheater-less gaming network, and for the well of their favorite gaming company, 'cause that makes them "idiots who think companies owe nothing to consumers".

As much as it is wrong to presume that everyone who uses homebrew is also a pirate, it's also not ok to mock others who are against homebrew (and don't offend anyone) just because they're not on fucking anarchy mode.


Thing is if it was a more open system akin to pc , console players would/should have the ability to moderate thiere online communities. Cheating will always exist but its shortsightedness and paranoia on sony/microsoft/nintendos part that has given more incentive for the cheats to do what they do cos the chances of getting kicked or banned are almost nonexistent.
 
Mirror of GeoHot's PS3 Jailbreak -- January 11, 2011

Our friends at Sony are having another bad day: i.e., doing something breathtakingly stupid, presumably because they don't know any better. This time they're suing George Hotz for publishing PS3 jailbreak information, as reported by EnGadget and Attack of the Fan Boy. Hotz's jailbreak allows PS3 owners to run the software of their choice on a machine they have legally purchased. His site is geohot.com.

Free speech (and free computing) rights exist only for those determined to exercise them. Trying to suppress those rights in the Internet age is like spitting in the wind.

We will help our friends at Sony understand this by mirroring the geohot jailbreak files at Carnegie Mellon.

GeoHot Mirror

Note to Sony lawyers: No doubt you're eager to rack up another billable hour by sending legal threats to me and my university. Before you go down that unhappy road, check out what happened the last time a large corporation tried to stop the mirroring of technical information here: The Gallery of CSS Descramblers. Have you learned anything in ten years?

David S. Touretzky
Research Professor of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Oh my! :lol
 
Steve Youngblood said:
But there's an easy rebuttal to that. I choose to buy games knowing that I could pirate because I can afford to and I like to vote with my wallet. If others who acquire games illegally for free (or on the cheap) want to look down on me for that, then so be it. What they do doesn't affect me.

Sure, I've said all that. Counter argument - I could have easily used that money for something else and STILL have the games.
And I wouldn't exactly call these people poor. Have they changed my ways? Nope. I still do what I think is right. Does is still make me angry, yeah of course. If you can stay cool, calm , and collected than I salute you. Personally I would like a bit more respect.

so why hang around such people? These days..I really don't. But I know the shenanigans continue. And these memories sure got me riled up :)
 
Datschge said:
That's great. Then everything is fine and dandy. What is this lawsuit for?

To stall the hackers from developing anything until a solution is ready to be implemented.

It would also temporarily prevent them from trying to work on circumventing said solution.
 
darkwing said:
because CFW allows access to PSN and you can run stuff online, who knows what PSN app they will make

The CFW isn't going to allow anything a computer couldn't already do. If Sony's security model depends on protections on the client side, then PSN is already vulnerable. This like online cheating are best prevented with server side checks. The peer-peer model of online gaming is inevitably going to have some cheating.
 
Zoe said:
To stall the hackers from developing anything until a solution is ready to be implemented.

It would also temporarily prevent them from trying to work on circumventing said solution.
Are you for real? :lol
 
darkwing said:
because CFW allows access to PSN and you can run stuff online, who knows what PSN app they will make

I have 110% certainty that no one on Earth who will be developing homebrew applications for the PS3 will be writing a program that will:

- run on PS3s
- access PSN
- log into Sony's own servers
- hack Sony's own servers
- steal user information

That simply is impossible. The PS3 hardware's security fell because not only did they leave a backdoor, the backdoor was actually in the system itself. The Playstation Network doesn't exist in the PS3 hardware. Your CC information isn't in the PS3 hardware either.
 
Datschge said:
Are you for real? :lol

I'm curious what you find surprising about this? It's actually a perfectly reasonable explanation for Sony's current lawsuit/tro and why there hasn't been any word from a technical front on what they are planning on doing for this exploit/hack...
 
Jobiensis said:
The CFW isn't going to allow anything a computer couldn't already do. If Sony's security model depends on protections on the client side, then PSN is already vulnerable. This like online cheating are best prevented with server side checks. The peer-peer model of online gaming is inevitably going to have some cheating.

that is why i'm hoping Sony will switch to dedicated servers for their online games like KZ3 and UC3 :D
 
sajj316 said:
It is basically a restraining order ..

Except they got...what, 3 of how many hackers on the Internet capable of running with what's been provided to stop working?

I think that's why people are reacting that way to your comment.

EDIT: or Zoe's comment, that is.
 
captmcblack said:
I have 110% certainty that no one on Earth who will be developing homebrew applications for the PS3 will be writing a program that will:

- run on PS3s
- access PSN
- log into Sony's own servers
- hack Sony's own servers
- steal user information

That simply is impossible. The PS3 hardware's security fell because not only did they leave a backdoor, the backdoor was actually in the system itself. The Playstation Network doesn't exist in the PS3 hardware. Your CC information isn't in the PS3 hardware either.

i'm not referring to cc information, just online games, peer to peer games are going to be interesting in the future
 
RyanDG said:
They keys don't have to be changed. Once you've removed the ability to update via USB, you've removed that avenue to install the modified firmware. And only those who have not updated to the lastest official firmware will be able to install a modified firmware via USB that you are suggesting. Yes, it doesn't solve for the consoles that have already been jail broken, but it will definitely be the closest thing to a solution for non-jail broken consoles.

Alright if its possible to stop USB updating without disabling the USB port entirely then that could work. I just don't know how you stop the USB port from taking firmware pup while allowing it to charge your headset/use a USB keyboard/backup game saves to flash drive/etc. But hey I'm not a programmer so if its possible then it sounds decent countermeasure in thoery.
 
I'm sure Sony is suing not so much out of strategy to keep the PS3 locked... but more out of ideology against these acts, and to smear the position of the hacker. They simply can't let people do this to their system.. even if their legal position were shaky, they would still sue.
 
sajj316 said:
It is basically a restraining order ..
It's basically a FUD order. Only problem is that hackers can see through these inane tactics. That why so many corporate lawsuits against them get publicly ridiculed. And it happens again and again.
 
gregor7777 said:
Except they got...what, 3 of how many hackers on the Internet capable of running with what's been provided to stop working?

I think that's why people are reacting that way to your comment.

They were also the only hackers able to produce something useful in a short amount of time.
 
JudgeN said:
Alright if its possible to stop USB updating without disabling the USB port entirely then that could work. I just don't know how you stop the USB port from taking firmware pup while allowing it to charge your headset/use a USB keyboard/backup game saves/etc. But hey I'm not a programmer so if its possible then it sounds decent countermeasure in thoery.

The PS3 can accept updates from the USB because it's programmed to look for a file in a specific format in a specific location on a USB drive.
 
BocoDragon said:
I'm sure Sony is suing not so much out of strategy to keep the PS3 locked... but more out of ideology against these acts, and to smear the position of the hacker. They simply can't let people do this to their system.. even if their legal position were shaky, they would still sue.

Not working of course. You have a professor at Carnegie Mellon mirroring the geohot files.
 
BocoDragon said:
I'm sure Sony is suing not so much out of strategy to keep the PS3 locked... but more out of ideology against these acts, and to smear the position of the hacker. They simply can't let people do this to their system.. even if their legal position were shaky, they would still sue.

This is why it would be nice if the E.F.F. took up the case. Large corporations shouldn't be able to baselessly extort and smear individuals without repercussions.

Zoe said:
They were also the only hackers able to produce something useful in a short amount of time.

This is an evolutionary process though. What is done, has been done. Nobody needs to recreate their work.
 
Zoe said:
The PS3 can accept updates from the USB because it's programmed to look for a file in a specific format in a specific location on a USB drive.

Right the whole PS3 -> Updates-> file thing got ya.
 
expy said:
Ummm, did that 'professor' really want to publish what could be taken as a threat? And associating it to a University?

That's what I thought, seemed a bit irresponsible if you ask me.
 
JudgeN said:
Alright if its possible to stop USB updating without disabling the USB port entirely then that could work. I just don't know how you stop the USB port from taking firmware pup while allowing it to charge your headset/use a USB keyboard/backup game saves/etc. But hey I'm not a programmer so if its possible then it sounds decent countermeasure in thoery.

It would absolutely be possible. Currently the PS3 has a restriction in place that doesn't allow the installation of update software from USB unless it is signed as what is essentially a firmware executable in a specific location. Just remove the exception for firmware executables and Sony has stopped it without damaging any of your current USB devices.
 
Zoe said:
They were also the only hackers able to produce something useful in a short amount of time.

True, and that's clearly why they were the targets, but I;m sure it goes without saying that there are plenty more people out there that have enough skill to work with what has been released. Particularly now that everyone is making such a fuss about it.
 
So all the righteous idiots in this thread...

You gonna send this guy an email accusing him of being a pirate? :D :D :D :D

David S. Touretzky
Research Professor of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
 
FLEABttn said:
Except when you can't use anything else for piracy. And then CFW is for piracy. Not exclusively used for it, you can separate the CFW from piracy but you can't separate piracy from CFW.
you can separate the PS3 from piracy but you can't separate piracy from PS3. if Sony didn't make the PS3, there would be no PS3 piracy. this is all their fault.



JudgeN said:
How did piracy start on the PSP before CFW allowed you to rip ISO? I'm asking because I'm curious and I have no idea.
there were single game launchers, then stuff like fastloader, undemulator, devhook, and only after that did actual CFW hit.
 
pixelbox said:
What is this proxy hole?

All that people are suggesting is that if Sony goes to a forced internet or game disk update, it would be possible eventually to force the PS3 to be redirected to another site that would 'pretend' to be the official firmware update site from Sony and download a modified firmware from there.
 
lowrider007 said:
That's what I thought, seemed a bit irresponsible if you ask me.

I'm honestly curious as to why he responded that way. I was in my CS program in my college for 2 years (before i switched to Media Arts) and while they did love open source programming (especially my favorite professor) they all damned anything that made piracy more accessible.
 
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