Piracy threat looms for Sony

**Shrygue** · February 12th, 2008, 18:44

via Computer and Video Games

The imminent threat of piracy is growing increasingly close for PS3, as hackers find a way to run retail game code from hard drives.

Piracy has been rife on PSP since hackers found a way of running game UMD data from a memory stick without the need to physically modify the PSP itself.

Now the same threat looms over PS3, hackers have found a way to run game code from internal and external USB hard drives.

Their discovery is only on for Test PS3 consoles (a developer version of the console), so they've not cracked retail machines just yet, but this will apparently allow them to study how game data is handled, which could lead to further developments.

Sony will, meanwhile, no doubt be working on locking down PS3 with firmware updates. Plus, 25GB game downloads will no doubt act as a deterrent to pirates.

**splodger15** · February 12th, 2008, 19:06

Originally Posted by Shrygue

Plus, 25GB game downloads will no doubt act as a deterrent to pirates.

Nope not really if you can dump the disks on your own PC and burn them people are just going to borrow PS3 games and dump them. Simple no waiting days for a download

**acn010** · February 12th, 2008, 19:19

everything can be hacked now days

**F9zDark** · February 12th, 2008, 19:25

So we go from Team ICE trying to run unsigned code (and possibly succeeding) to hackers with Dev Units cracking the PS3? Hah, sounds like scare tactics to me. Where did these hackers get a PS3 dev unit from?

Please; if hackers had a dev unit, we'd already have custom firmware, homebrew games, the HDD would have been deciphered, etc....

**splodger15** · February 12th, 2008, 20:04

Originally Posted by F9zDark

Please; if hackers had a dev unit, we'd already have custom firmware, homebrew games, the HDD would have been deciphered, etc....

Not nessarily the Dev PS3 just has a few more features doesn't mean a CFW could be coded straight from it even if it was just for a Dev unit.

**DPyro** · February 12th, 2008, 20:36

Originally Posted by F9zDark

So we go from Team ICE trying to run unsigned code (and possibly succeeding) to hackers with Dev Units cracking the PS3? Hah, sounds like scare tactics to me. Where did these hackers get a PS3 dev unit from?

Please; if hackers had a dev unit, we'd already have custom firmware, homebrew games, the HDD would have been deciphered, etc....

You can buy a TEST unit for the right price.

**cory1492** · February 12th, 2008, 21:03

Originally Posted by $n!pR

You can buy a TEST unit for the right price.

:rofl:
I'm sure that "right price" will help make piracy rampant...

Seriously though, this news comes straight from a site that likes to make up news when they are desperate for hits - the same site that had hyped paradox's supposed ps3 hack that was along the same lines (running retail games from a hdd) more than 6 months ago.

If it took them this long to do what they say with access to developer tools, I'd not count on any worthwhile release.

**jdnation** · February 12th, 2008, 21:16

Unless you can actually buy pirated blu-ray discs, I don't see this working out well for piracy sales... Do I really want 25 GB games taking up valuable space on my HDD? Would I wait for 25 GBs to download? Even if I did I'd play ti once and then delete it to make room for another. It's just a bit too inconvenient to even bother with, I'd rather go to a legit rental store and rent the game for a week for $5.