Is it illegal to hack consoles and release exploits to the public ?

[antiNT]

Why do these companies even allow the hackers to release the exploits after a bit of time ? Why don't they make them stay private indefinitely ?

 

[leon315]

same reason why movies have exclusivity deal with song writers: cauz the song (exploit) don't belong to the console companies, they only buy the finding with period of exclusivity and silence, then author of song(exploit) release them to get public acclamation and personal fame.

 

[FAST6191]

The song stuff might well fall under work for hire, and surprisingly few artists actually own any rights. Hackers could well fall under that, and I would be stunned if their in house team did not have something like that going on.

As far as hackers. Some do. Occasionally we see things from talks years later, or leaks, or "leaks".

In general hacking terms (and for all that this is its own thing it is still but an aspect of that) the disclosure debate is one that has raged for years. Most do however deem it at least a courtesy to give their hacked device/program/site to the owners of it before sharing it with the world.
At the same time asking for no sharing at all is considered a fairly decent burden to place upon the would be hacker and that tends to spike payments up a bit same as anything else when you ask more of someone. Equally if it gets out that you are going for such things then maybe the next one does not do you a courtesy.