PS5 hackers just announced that they've acquired the encryption root keys for the latest Sony console, which likely brings them a step closer to cracking it, writes ArsTechnica.
By "cracking," we mean hacking the PS5 to run homebrew--and potentially pirated--software. The hacker group calls themselves Fail0verflow, and they made their "official" announcement on Twitter recently:
Translation: We got all (symmetric) ps5 root keys. They can all be obtained from software - including per-console root key, if you look hard enough! https://t.co/ulbq4LOWW0
— fail0verflow (@fail0verflow) November 8, 2021
What seems to be portrayed in the tweeted image looks like decrypted firmware files from the PS5. It highlights code that points to the console's "secure loader."
This means that with careful analysis, Fail0verflow could theoretically reverse-engineer the code and make the PlayStation 5 firmware recognize homebrew software as authentic.
In other words, cracking the PS5 could mean you can play pirated games on it, or run other non-Sony-licensed programs on the console aside from games.
Fail0verflow seems to have achieved the feat, however, strictly on the software side. Sony is quite proficient in making their consoles' kernel secure. Normally, hackers would need to gain read and/or write access to the kernel as an exploit.
But for this one, there was no "exploit" detailed, suggesting that the hackers were able to gain the encryption root keys without modifying the hardware of the PS5 itself.
This won't be the first Sony console that Fail0verflow managed to crack. According to PushSquare, they were also the ones responsible for hacking the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation 4.
Allegedly, they also managed to crack the Nintendo Switch, allowing the handheld to run custom firmware.
What Is the Likelihood of the PS5 Getting Hacked?
Anything is possible.
That's because both the PS4 and the PS5 are of the same hardware architecture: x86. This was courtesy of PS4 and PS5 lead architect Mark Cerny, who decided that it was time to move on from the drastically different architecture of the PS3 that made it a massive headache for developers.
In other words, if Fail0verflow has already hacked the PS4 (and the notoriously hard-to-crack PS3), they could very well do the same with the PS5.
Console Mods/Hacks Are Still Largely Illegal
It could be only a matter of time before the hackers finally crack the PlayStation 5's defenses. But when they do release their hack, you need to watch your back.
ArsTechnica once reported about a student who was charged with violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) after he was caught selling modded/hacked consoles for $30 a pop. For the crime, the student was looking at roughly 10 years of prison time.
Simply modifying the hardware is not illegal. But the thing is, gaming consoles like the PS5 will almost always have embedded software (aka firmware) with them. As soon as you tamper with that "protection" to run homebrewed code, that's where you run afoul of the DMCA.
There are many reasons for choosing to hack/modify consoles, and you likely have your own. When you do decide, though, just be careful. The law is watching.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by RJ Pierce
