PS3 update 3.56 contains 'rootkit'

[Arras]

For those who are curious about the new PS3 security, it seems Sony has implemented something in 3.56 I mentioned here a few weeks ago that is the same as Microsoft uses to detect and ban 360's.

Mathieulh just posted about it on IRC.

Essentially Sony can now remotely execute code on the PS3 as soon as you connect. This can do whatever Sony wants it to do such as verifying system files or searching for homebrew. Sony can change the code and add new detection methods without any firmware updates and as the code executes remotely there is no reliable way to forge the replies.

Whilst it is possible to patch or remove this code from the firmware this will likely mean the end of playing CFW online (as PSN can just check before login that this is active) or at the very least mean it will be even easier for Sony to detect and ban users.

Judging from the fact that people can still connect using the proxy method it seems Sony hasn't activated any of this yet but the functions are there in the new firmware.[/p]

So Sony assentially can do anything they want with any 3.56 PS3. Okay. It'll be interesting to see how this turns out. Probably will be used for homebrew checking and banning, but if some evil hacker gains access to that rootkit... *shudder*

Source

 

[machomuu]

I was just about to hack my PS3

.

 

[purplesludge]

I think this has already been posted.

 

[Joe88]

old news

http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=277...t=0&start=0

 

[Jamstruth]

Behold proper damage control folks. Not lawsuits but a banning system. Simples

Its a bit irresponsible given that we have full access to the PS3 filesystem so might be able to seek and destroy the routines or create a PS3 virus but, who knows, they might have encrypted this stuff differently (read properly)

 

[Maikel Steneker]

Sony was doing so well, but this kind of stuff really makes me hate them. It's really sneaky to include this kind of stuff in an update, especially if the update should improve security. If anything, this compromises security, and it only hurts legitimate customers. I have been playing on my PS3 for more than a year now, and I wouldn't even dream of hacking my console and risking to miss out on stuff like PSN. But when Sony uses rootkits and similar software that can only hurt my experience, I'm not sure if I even want to update.

 

[Arras]

Sorry, I only looked in the news section, didn't think about looking in the other sections to see if it was posted. Oh well.

 

[ThePowerOutage]

I thought that running code on a device without asking the owner was illegal under UK laws?

 

[MasterPenguin]

Sony was doing so well, but this kind of stuff really makes me hate them. It's really sneaky to include this kind of stuff in an update, especially if the update should improve security. If anything, this compromises security, and it only hurts legitimate customers. I have been playing on my PS3 for more than a year now, and I wouldn't even dream of hacking my console and risking to miss out on stuff like PSN. But when Sony uses rootkits and similar software that can only hurt my experience, I'm not sure if I even want to update.

If you're legit then it won't hurt you, as they won't care about you. Why do you think it'll make everything so bad?

 

[Joe88]

its in the TOS agreement that most people neglected to read and just hit "agree"

 

[Arras]

its in the TOS agreement that most people neglected to read and just hit "agree"

Nobody ever reads those. Facebook claimed your soul in their TOS on april fools day and no one noticed.

 

[Rydian]

It's not a rootkit at all, that's not what a rootkit is/does.

 

[Arras]

Itś a way for Sony to execute whatever code they like remotely. But if it's not a rootkit, then what'd you call it? Over-the-top anti-hacking measures?

 

[Sterling]

its in the TOS agreement that most people neglected to read and just hit "agree"

Those things are so long and full of legal bullshit. When I last tried to read apple's ToU, it was over 86 pages long (legal rule by the way). That's a bit much to expect anyone to read. That's exactly why they make it so long, so they have you by the butt.

 

[Rydian]

It? a way for Sony to execute whatever code they like remotely. But if it's not a rootkit, then what'd you call it? Over-the-top anti-hacking measures?

Remote code execution.