The internet exploded today with news of yet another apparent security catastrophe looming on Sony’s horizon. Suggesting credit card details sent to Sony in relation to PSN purchases were not secure in transit, tremors of concern and further facepalms reverberated around the technology press.
Thankfully, the initial reports seem to have been completely misconstrued (or lost in the noise of what looked like a hot story), with clarifications since coming to light regarding just what the hackers meant when they announced: “We are in your PSN, stealing your numbers.”
All money transactions sent to Sony across official firmware are secure. What the hackers were highlighting, however, is the possibility of dishonest customising code-monkeys creating a Custom Firmware, releasing it into the wild, only for the cracked platform to have a nefarious element lurking in the code, ready to strike as soon as hapless home-brewers/pirates/whatever install it on their PS3s.
This version could spoof certificates, engage custom DNS servers, and basically swindle its way into your credit card information. It then could easily send this data to the chuckling tea-leaf back at the mod mothership. You then check your credit card statement at the end of the month and those fifteen plasma-screens you bought and those wild foam parties you apparently had comes as something of a surprise.
As you’re entrusting your PS3 into the hands of someone who’s obviously engaging in the authoring of software that is designed to circumvent security measures, it’s hardly surprising this sort of thing is possible. Is it a tangible threat to those who wish to go down the route of custom firmware? It’s hard to say, but it is important to consider that anything is possible. After all, who’d have believed GeoHotz would release an anti-Sony rap song? And, stranger still, who’d have thought it would actually be quite good?
As always, TheSixthAxis thumbs its nose at circumventing Sony’s security. Piracy is bad. Don’t do it. Okay?
Source: Ars Technica
The Solid one
Hopefully this will put a lot of people off from running custom firmware. I think this may actually help reduce the number of twa… i mean hackers trying to make everyone’s online exerpience a living hell.EG. making the match 10 times faster and making the hacker’s team unkillable and stripping the other players of their rewards. So in a way this could be a victory for sony. I hope Sony can track their IPs and ban them.
Mentality
If someone was to use Homebrew, they should have the common sense NOT to go online. Not only that but once putting custom firmware on you would have (should have) already removed your credit card details since PSN is no longer and option, loosing PSN access means the in-ability to purchase from the PS Store.
If your going to be stupid enough to go online whilst having a hacked console and at the same time have your credit card details etact, then more fool you!
You make a choice now when consider hacking your console. Homebrew or PSN. You choose homebrew? Don’t complain when you can’t get online, wanna go online regardless? Don’t complain when you become a victim of fraud or get banned.
People in the scene seem to think that Sony has no right to ban them or block them. They have every right to protect their investment and other people playing online who would become victims when people are modifieing games and cheating. They would be stupid to sit back and let it go.
kevatron400
You want to see a doctor about that.