Correct me if i'm wrong but can't a PS3 owner just buy a second hard drive to use at this point? I remember people having one hard drive with an old firmware and the otherOS feature, and a second that they kept up to date.
Actually, just to clarify things a little; This IS a countermeasure to piracy too. If hacked consoles can't access the PSN, that also means they can't update the firmware. All of the latest firmware also includes Sony's rootkit tech, which can't be removed or faked because it's crosschecked online at random intervals. Now, what that means is all of the currently released games potentially CAN be pirated unless they've been patched to REQUIRE the latest firmware (which most of the popular multiplayer games will be). And FUTURE games will be coded for the most recent firmware build at time of release. (example; the recent delay before LBP2 was released).Xanthious said:... So you mean the only thing they've done is keep them offline, and not even permanently, just til the next patch? Wow, I'm completely and totally unimpressed.
Mr. Westbrook I'm disappointed, same for most of the posters here.Logan Westbrook said:now it seems that those halcyon days are over
Exactly, Jesus, I thought Escapist users have seen enough of this shit to know how the story ends.ImprovizoR said:Hackers will find a way. They always do.
What about the rootkit means they can't include it in the custom firmware? Or at least fake it?Andy Powell said:Actually, just to clarify things a little; This IS a countermeasure to piracy too. If hacked consoles can't access the PSN, that also means they can't update the firmware. All of the latest firmware also includes Sony's rootkit tech, which can't be removed or faked because it's crosschecked online at random intervals. Now, what that means is all of the currently released games potentially CAN be pirated unless they've been patched to REQUIRE the latest firmware (which most of the popular multiplayer games will be). And FUTURE games will be coded for the most recent firmware build at time of release. (example; the recent delay before LBP2 was released).Xanthious said:... So you mean the only thing they've done is keep them offline, and not even permanently, just til the next patch? Wow, I'm completely and totally unimpressed.
Now, theoreticly hackers CAN release custom firmwares of the latest firmware builds, but they will have to do so WITHOUT PSN connectivity to avoid rootkit detection (so far, anyway). So if hacked firmware can't go past 3.55 (and current legit version is 3.56) that potentially means that any game requiring firmware 3.56 and above, can't be run on the system without a firmware update or game title update from the PSN. Essentially stopping hacked consoles from running any of the (online multiplayer) game titles released after a certain date. AND, those titles released prior to that date can't be played multiplayer on the PSN without risk of detection.
It's pretty clever if you ask me.
You think Sony hasn't fixed this? Well I have news for you!Xanthious said:Yep Sony really stuck it to them! All those free games they've put on their hard drives are now rendered useless . . .what? wait. They aren't? Well then surely it will no longer play movies right? Oh, still does that too eh? So you mean the only thing they've done is keep them offline, and not even permanently, just til the next patch? Wow, I'm completely and totally unimpressed.
That seems to be the general consensus in this thread, does it make you facepalm as much as me?hey idiot! You're totally missing the point, Sony has ended piracy now and forever because of a single patch!
Clever? Maybe. Ultimately effective? Doubtful. In all reality this will be worked around and rendered useless before the weekend is through and we will be reading another article titled "PS3 Hacked . . . Again". Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it after all.Andy Powell said:Actually, just to clarify things a little; This IS a countermeasure to piracy too. If hacked consoles can't access the PSN, that also means they can't update the firmware. All of the latest firmware also includes Sony's rootkit tech, which can't be removed or faked because it's crosschecked online at random intervals. Now, what that means is all of the currently released games potentially CAN be pirated unless they've been patched to REQUIRE the latest firmware (which most of the popular multiplayer games will be). And FUTURE games will be coded for the most recent firmware build at time of release. (example; the recent delay before LBP2 was released).Xanthious said:... So you mean the only thing they've done is keep them offline, and not even permanently, just til the next patch? Wow, I'm completely and totally unimpressed.
Now, theoreticly hackers CAN release custom firmwares of the latest firmware builds, but they will have to do so WITHOUT PSN connectivity to avoid rootkit detection (so far, anyway). So if hacked firmware can't go past 3.55 (and current legit version is 3.56) that potentially means that any game requiring firmware 3.56 and above, can't be run on the system without a firmware update or game title update from the PSN. Essentially stopping hacked consoles from running any of the (online multiplayer) game titles released after a certain date. AND, those titles released prior to that date can't be played multiplayer on the PSN without risk of detection.
It's pretty clever if you ask me.
Agreed.Sinclose said:HUZZAH!
Seriously though, people trying to get away with using pirated game copies deserve to have their console banned online. For me this is good news.
Excellent question, and it's even more clever on Sony's part. The rootkit is not entirely included in the new firmware builds, only PART of the rootkit is. The other part of the rootkit is stored and active on the PSN right now. The PSN server-side of the rootkit communicates with the client-side of the rootkit. If it's modified, or faked, or just not giving the EXACT right answers the server-side is expecting, the console/PSN account is flagged. (possibly banned too, but that part isn't entirely clear. But recent news looks like they're banned from the PSN too)danpascooch said:What about the rootkit means they can't include it in the custom firmware? Or at least fake it?
So the PSN is still just checking against something generated by/in the firmware?Andy Powell said:Excellent question, and it's even more clever on Sony's part. The rootkit is not entirely included in the new firmware builds, only PART of the rootkit is. The other part of the rootkit is stored and active on the PSN right now. The PSN server-side of the rootkit communicates with the client-side of the rootkit. If it's modified, or faked, or just not giving the EXACT right answers the server-side is expecting, the console/PSN account is flagged. (possibly banned too, but that part isn't entirely clear. But recent news looks like they're banned from the PSN too)danpascooch said:What about the rootkit means they can't include it in the custom firmware? Or at least fake it?
Now, in the long term the hackers MAY be able to figure out how to fake a proper rootkit reply eventually. But in the short term, this is a really interesting and potent hacker countermeasure.
Weeeellll.. Yes, and no... It's more like a Client/server connection. On the firmware is the client side (maybe 10% of the actual software involved), and on the server-side is the other 90%.. (these are completely made up numbers for the sake of an example). The server-side of things will be looking for VERY (and I mean VERY) specific replies from the client-side, and it will make these requests at very random intervals throughout PSN connectivity sessions. I won't stand on a soap box and say this is a fool-proof countermeasure, but from my understanding on a technical level, faking these replies is REALLY (and again, I mean REALLY) hard to fake. Also, the risk level is pretty high when hackers test their counter-countermeasure code, because the very first time their counter-countermeasure fails the firmware crosscheck that PS3 they were using will be blocked/banned from the PSN. (I'm assuming via its MAC address).danpascooch said:So the PSN is still just checking against something generated by/in the firmware?
All they need to do is get the rootkit right!
I know that's not nearly as easy as I'm making it sound, but COME ON this is HARDLY a permanent fix on any level like people are billing it as.
Yes and no. Last I heard, World of Warcraft remains pretty secure from cheating, and connecting to PSN would involve a similar client-server relationship. The server can make demands of a client that becomes increasing difficult, inconvenient, and unwieldy for modified clients to get around.ImprovizoR said:Hackers will find a way. They always do.