PSP and WiFi? There are eyes all over you!

This is scary news.

1. Download the 2.00 update.
2. Run it, but don't upgrade.
3. Read the second paragraph of the user agreement (no one reads these things!).

If you are too lazy to do this, here is the rundown:

"Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. uses DNAS (Dynamic Network Authentication System), a proprietary authentication system, to help protect copyright and security in connecting the PSP(TM) system to a network. DNAS may retrieve information about a user's hardware and software for authenication, copy protection, account blocking, system, rules, or game management and other purposes. The information collected does not identify the user personally. The unauthorized transfer, exhibition, export, import, or transmission of programs and devices circumventing its authentication scheme may be prohibited by law."

In short, your PSP sends information right into the developers' hands everytime you connect. When you change your version falsely, they know it. When you run a UMD Emulator, they know it. I guess it's not possible to keep anymore "secrets" on your PSP (unless your WiFi switch is turned off). I hope you're scared, because I am.

I'm not scared. If you are near a wifi hotspot, and aren't using the internet for any reason, turn the wifi switch off. It saves battery.

O_o wow... that's just... wow. but it doesn't actually define the user? does that mean they can't track as to which PSP it is that has the info? i certianly hope not.

They could track the PSP by mac address. Of course if you registered your PSP, you freely tied your name to that mac address. I don't think anyone needs to worry right now, because you can't do too many "illegal" things while running 2.0. I don't think sony would go after end users though.

Um I think you are blowing this out of proportion. First off, DNAS is only used when going online to play games. In other words, when you play a game, click on Multiplayer and then join a master server to kick some ass.

Its not some homing device that Sony monitors everyday to watch what you are doing. Such would be a huge infraction upon privacy and you can bet Sony wouldn't be doing half as well as they are if they were known for such activities.

I wouldn't worry about it. And even if you are really worried about guess what, reverse engineering and interoperability are legal under US Copyright law. So unless you are blatantly stealing from Sony and/or its developers, you have nothing to worry about.

I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Go read the EULAs on a just about every program you have ever installed on a computer.
Go read the EULAs on just about every game for every console you have ever purchased.

What, THIS scares you? Go read the latest Windows XP EULA. It's much, much worse.