Home Hacked

[Andy Chalk]

Home Hacked

Less than a week after it launched, reports are coming in that users have hacked Home, Sony's virtual world for the PlayStation 3 [http://www.playstation.com]. Yeah, that really was quick, wasn't it?

A report in the Apache web server [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/technologynews/3793715/PlayStation-Home-hacked.html] and DNS redirection to allow users to play movies on virtual display screens and to change in-world text and music to anything they want. Users can employ a different hack to download any files they want from the Sony server, including the profiles and avatars of other users.

Of greater risk, however, is the ability to upload files to, or delete files from, Sony's Home servers. The report says such vulnerabilities expose Home users to viruses and other malicious software, and also leaves Home itself open to attacks which could force it offline. The report suggests Sony may open the platform to legitimate third-party development to provide an official and controlled channel for such "tweaking," and also to help build a more robust Home "ecosystem."

YouTube [http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2008/12/15/playstation-home-hacked-already/1] footage that purports to show the results of one such hack. Instructions for this "easily repeatable" mod have been posted online, but you'll have to find them for yourself, you dirty hacker.

Home went into Microsoft's [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/88052-PlayStation-Home-Enters-Open-Beta-December-10] Aaron Greenberg, who said, "When they unveiled it, it seemed innovative. I think what's happened is now here we are a couple of years later and we feel beyond that. It feels like 2005 tech in 2008. I'm not sure that's what people want."


Permalink

 

[DamienHell]

Not surprising, the game has more issues than an emo kid.

 

[sunami88]

Now, I read a bit about this the other day.

My point (question?) is that with the method used, won't only the content on that user's PS3 be changed? Like, they might be able to change the trailers/posters etc, but whats the point if noone else can see it? It is however one step towards full out hackage.

That's just my take on it anyways. If anyones got a more in depth knowledge of this (I don't have a PS3), then please feel free to correct me.

 

[DamienHell]

Not surprising, the game has more issues than an emo kid.

lolololololololol.....

But yeah, it's not that surprising, Home was kinda doomed the moment it became old news, like that MMO that took forever to bring out and when it did was utter crap and was unplayable because of glitches... I forget what it's called.

Age of Conan?

 

[Alone Disciple]

I'm more curious as to 'why'? Why would you want to hack this? Why would you want to risk screwing up your system, getting banned, spending the time, etc...to put movies on yet even a smaller virtual screen within your made up room?

Is Sony this boring where as PS3 users resort to menial hacks now to entertain themselves because the games don't?

Is it bragging rights? "Oh..Oh..Look at me...I changed the music in my virtual home."

Er...okay.

 

[Rezfon]

for having such a long development time and past experiences surely they should have sorted this sort of thing before they released it.

 

[MagnetoHydroDynamics]

Not surprising, the game has more issues than an emo kid.

lolololololololol.....

But yeah, it's not that surprising, Home was kinda doomed the moment it became old news, like that MMO that took forever to bring out and when it did was utter crap and was unplayable because of glitches... I forget what it's called.

Age of Conan?

No, I think he is talking about Tabula Rasa...

Also:

 

[DangerChimp]

Who cares about Home? I've got a PS3 and decided to give it a try. I got on, stood around, danced for a bit and left. It's got tons of things it needs to do before it's legitimately interesting. Good thing you don't have to use it.

Maybe these hackers will give Sony some good ideas.

 

[Jimmyjames]

Who cares about Home? I've got a PS3 and decided to give it a try. I got on, stood around, danced for a bit and left. It's got tons of things it needs to do before it's legitimately interesting. Good thing you don't have to use it.

Maybe these hackers will give Sony some good ideas.

Look a gift-horse in the mouth often? Home is free. Like you said, no one is forcing you to use it.

 

[Jimmyjames]

for having such a long development time and past experiences surely they should have sorted this sort of thing before they released it.

IT'S STILL BETA. It's out PRECISELY to find exploits and fix before final release. Ever heard of QA? Well, they can't always find everything.

 

[Rezfon]

for having such a long development time and past experiences surely they should have sorted this sort of thing before they released it.

IT'S STILL BETA. It's out PRECISELY to find exploits and fix before final release. Ever heard of QA? Well, they can't always find everything.

yes I do know what a QA test is. Quality assurance is done by hired employees and is in a development stage well before Beta tests. Considering I've done Higher Computing, Advanced Higher Computing (equivilent of first year UNI) and currently studying Bsc Computing at Abertay Uni, I think I know a bit more about the development process than you do as I actually had to do it!

I can tell your a fanboy down to how you try and defend Home with your previous posts with vigor, so no matter what I say you will still try and defend it. What I was saying is that with a development time they've had and previous experience in the industry, these sorts of problems should have been sorted well before they released the beta. The large majority of problems are sorted before beta, most are found in the QA tests as these are done by people who know what they are doing. There are also alot of other tests done before the QA testers manage to get it, eg module testing and many other tests done after. The development stages are also iterative so it is being constantly tested. Coupled with their previous experience they should have the prior knowledge to make sure these sorts of things don't happen.

With the large number of problems and severity of them, they had no reason to not fix this before they released the beta. Considering it costs actual money to buy extra items and people can hack and download other people's profiles this proves quite a big problem.


So yes, I know what beta tests and QA tests are, problems do slip by however the sorts of problems presented here are far too numerous and severe to not notice.

 

[mokes310]

Not surprising, the game has more issues than an emo kid.

HAHAHA, NICE!!!

Agreed though. I'm not interested in Home at all. Seems a bit too much like Second Life for me.

 

[klc0100]

for having such a long development time and past experiences surely they should have sorted this sort of thing before they released it.

IT'S STILL BETA. It's out PRECISELY to find exploits and fix before final release. Ever heard of QA? Well, they can't always find everything.

I've heard of "interesting" and home isn't it, fanboy. I am a nerd that likes games, I'll give you that. However, I'm not a pathetic nerd who has to live my life through a fake world with other pathetic nerds. One IGN editor referred to home as "the biggest mistake Sony has ever made". With consoles, I totally agree. An utter waste of time and money. I don't think Second Life types play consoles so much. There is no cyber sex. =)

The self confessed nerd calling the other nerd a bigger nerd...

 

[DangerChimp]

Who cares about Home? I've got a PS3 and decided to give it a try. I got on, stood around, danced for a bit and left. It's got tons of things it needs to do before it's legitimately interesting. Good thing you don't have to use it.

Maybe these hackers will give Sony some good ideas.

Look a gift-horse in the mouth often? Home is free. Like you said, no one is forcing you to use it.

Valid point. But the fact that it's free doesn't mean it shouldn't be good. If they're not after making this gift horse a good one, then why make it at all?

 

[Anton P. Nym]

How tough is it for people to opt out of Home? Is it a separate application that needs to be invoked, or does it automatically launch when the PS3 connects to the network?

The reason I ask is that it may be a problem for Sony if it proves difficult for users to avoid unsigned (and possibly malicious) content over their service. I hope they've got some good filters or something backstopping Home, or that at least those of the paranoid persuasion can choose to stay off of it.

-- Steve

 

[Novajam]

How tough is it for people to opt out of Home? Is it a separate application that needs to be invoked, or does it automatically launch when the PS3 connects to the network?

The reason I ask is that it may be a problem for Sony if it proves difficult for users to avoid unsigned (and possibly malicious) content over their service. I hope they've got some good filters or something backstopping Home, or that at least those of the paranoid persuasion can choose to stay off of it.

-- Steve

I think that Home is accessed through the cross-media bar menu thing that pops up when you start your PS3. However, I think that the release version will be compulsory, and anyone connected to the PSN will have it downloaded automatically (probably as part of an update).

Sony would probably force PS3 users to go into Home at least once (go through he process of making an avatar etc.) much in the same way 360 users were forced to create an avatar when the NXE update rolled around. So going into it at least once will most likely be unavoidable. I may be wrong, though. That's just how I think it would work out.