PS3 May Have Fallen Victim to Crackers

August 19, 2010

Sony's PlayStation 3 has remained remarkably resilient to piracy, until now perhaps.

An article on a EuroGamer blog (thanks The Escapist) uses a pair of YouTube videos (here’s the first, the other is embedded above) from user OzModChips as the basis for its article.

The movies were made after OzModChips apparently received an anonymous package from Hong Kong, which was sent to various resellers of mod chips.

The process described:

…a combination of software and USB dongle that seemingly allows all makes and model of retail PlayStation 3 to copy and run any kind of game code, even with the latest firmware updates in place

…the dongle itself appears to be activated when the system is booted by holding down the power followed by the eject button. This might suggest that the USB dongle is an adapted form of debug equipment used by Sony itself in testing production and refurbished PS3s, and several consoles locked into "factory mode" have escaped into the wild before now.

Or, it all could be an elaborate ruse.

Of course, we in no way advocate the use of such cracks, devices or tactics.

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Comments

Re: PS3 May Have Fallen Victim to Crackers

Submitted by BCD303 on Thu, 08/19/2010 - 23:30.

i don't really care. console gamers are a bunch of noobs anyway.

BCD303 "Speedy thing goes in. Speedy thing comes out."

Re: PS3 May Have Fallen Victim to Crackers

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Fri, 08/20/2010 - 07:46.

We don't serve your kind around here.

Re: PS3 May Have Fallen Victim to Crackers

Submitted by Dan on Thu, 08/19/2010 - 18:43.

Serves them right.

Don't get me started on those SOBs trying to erase my linux.

Re: PS3 May Have Fallen Victim to Crackers

Submitted by Tina Russell on Thu, 08/19/2010 - 17:36.

Wait, what, GamePolitics?! What on Earth is wrong with unlocking functionality on a console that you bought and own?

(After all, after Sony erased Linux support from customers’ PS3s in a rather spectacular forced downgrade, hacking is the only way to install it. That’s just one example of the content industry trying to take away consumers’ rights, and we let it happen by accepting their framing of hacking one’s own system as somehow illegitimate.)

http://tinarussell.wordpress.com/

Re: PS3 May Have Fallen Victim to Crackers

Submitted by Flamespeak on Thu, 08/19/2010 - 18:45.

Literally, the only things this product does is allow for folks to make copies of Blu-ray video games (no BR Movies, DVD movies or games, or CD games). It is supposed to work on the principle that people get a bunch of games through Blockbuster or Gamefly and copy them onto their hard drive so they can pull them up and play them as long as a spinning game is inserted into the drive. This particular hack is literally just for making bootleg versions of games.

I don't personally believe it works though. It would appear this only works with dev consoles. It may though, but considering they are charging folks about $150 AUS for the product, I smell scam. I smell a lot of scam.

Re: PS3 May Have Fallen Victim to Crackers

Submitted by Thad on Fri, 08/20/2010 - 18:21.

You make a good point. There is absolutely no possible legitimate use for reading a file directly from a hard drive.

Re: PS3 May Have Fallen Victim to Crackers

Submitted by Zerodash on Thu, 08/19/2010 - 14:18.

Goddamn Crackers. They only went after the PS3 because it's black. :)

Re: PS3 May Have Fallen Victim to Crackers

Submitted by mdo7 on Fri, 08/20/2010 - 07:38.

That comment really make my day more interesting.

Re: PS3 May Have Fallen Victim to Crackers

Submitted by BCD303 on Thu, 08/19/2010 - 23:26.

GOLD!

BCD303 "Speedy thing goes in. Speedy thing comes out."

Shout box

Andrew Eisen: Okay, fixed. For really reals this time!06/19/2013 - 12:42am

Sleaker: @AE The actual link to the pay what you want is www.indiegamestand.com not desura. You seem to infer where it's at but never posted a link.06/19/2013 - 12:01am

Andrew Eisen: LEGO: The Movie! www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPnY2NjSjrg06/18/2013 - 9:39pm

Zen: http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20130614/OFFDUTY02/306140030/New-Xbox-sin-against-all-service-members-06/18/2013 - 7:33pm

Zen: Been out for a few days, but has anyone brought up the possible ban on Xbox One on military bases because of security concerns that it could be a listening device by Commanders?06/18/2013 - 7:33pm

Andrew Eisen: Sleaker - Fixed.06/18/2013 - 6:34pm

MechaTama31: CMiner: Another issue is that every camera/webcam combination is going to be pretty different, in terms of the software/hardware exploits available. A homogenous hardware/software combo like a console, in millions of homes, will be a much juicier target.06/18/2013 - 6:31pm

Sleaker: Vox pay what you want link is busted.06/18/2013 - 6:27pm

ZippyDSMlee: Mics have to breath put tape over it.06/18/2013 - 6:25pm

NyuRena: You nailed it James! Yikes..06/18/2013 - 1:56pm

james_fudge: With MS willing to share with the government, an always listening device should give everyone pause.06/18/2013 - 1:37pm

james_fudge: you can't turn off the Microphone on the Kinect and it has to be plugged in. It's not rocket science.06/18/2013 - 1:35pm

E. Zachary Knight: The Humble Bundle Guys just don't like me having money in my pocket do they? https://www.humblebundle.com/06/18/2013 - 1:12pm

E. Zachary Knight: CMiner, I know that my Android camera is off unless I am using an application that turns it on. Same with the microphone.06/18/2013 - 12:38pm

CMiner: Can you turn off the camera on an iPhone? Like, -really- turn it off, not just change a setting that -tells- you the camera is off?06/18/2013 - 12:13pm

james_fudge: when they make it a requirement, yes they are06/18/2013 - 12:10pm

CMiner: I just don't think Microsoft bears any more (or less) responsibility for privacy with its Kinect camera than do the makers of laptops or smartphones with integrated cameras.06/18/2013 - 12:00pm

Imautobot: The ability to operate the console without the camera is key. It's a peripheral, not directly integrated into the console, and yet it behaves as if it is. Thankfully I don't have kids, and won't have an Xbone either.06/18/2013 - 11:49am

CMiner: Oh, I agree that the decision to make the kinect mandatory/always listening is terrible.06/18/2013 - 11:48am

E. Zachary Knight: CMiner, and the easier the provider makes to do such things, the better. The fact that the XBone will not even funtion without it plugged in and turned on in some fashion makes a world of difference from a PC Webcam.06/18/2013 - 11:38am

All shouts

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