Sony Responds To PS3 Hacks

Manufacturer breaks cover and comments on recent security breaches; network updates planned.

Sony has at last broken silence on recent developments which have seen its PlayStation 3's security measures completely defeated.

The firm has remained resolutely tight-lipped since news broke that a hacking group named fail0verflow had gained full control over the system, after reverse engineering the code used to sign authorised software as genuine.

Shortly afterwards iPhone hacker George “GeoHot” Hotz published the console’s “root key” online, enabling homebrew developers to create and sign their own apps. Blu-Ray and PSP root keys have also since been found buried within the PS3 and released online.

“We are aware of this, and are currently looking into it,” Sony told us in a brief statement. “We will fix the issues through network updates, but because this is a security issue, we are not able to provide you with any more details.”

Sony’s response is at odds with comments given to the BBC yesterday by fail0verflow member pytey, who said: “The complete console is compromised – there is no way back.

“The only way to fix this is to issue new hardware. Sony will have to accept this.”

Both fail0verflow and GeoHot are staunchly anti-piracy, and have not released any tools that directly enable the playing of copied games, but it is widely expected that piracy will soon be rife on what was, until very recently, considered to be the most secure console ever released.