SONY surfs on a PS3 patch wave?

In the last weeks I noticed that many new not announced patches came with the PS3 firmwares. I will list a few:

FW Bypass Hack

You could bypass the firmware requests so you could still go online in the PlayStation Network with an old firmware. This was done by setting up a fake updatelist, which was a modified original. Then you repointed the original URL to the list via DNS or proxy to your fake updatelist. PATCHED

Open Remote Play

This hack by dashhacker allowed you to use the PS3's "PSP remote play" feature on a PC. PATCHED

DRMDIR

DRMDIR is a folder created in game folder next to USRDIR and TROPDIR. It is added by the firmware every time you install a game or patch. It is used by PSN games aswell as for disc games. The use seems to be, that it checks if the files in the game/patch folders are modified. If so, the game won't start anymore. The DRMDIR may create a hash or similar of the most vulnerable files like the game's EBOOT.BIN.

So what do we have to expect next? As the HDD decryption tools are now public maybe a new encryption? Well, I have to agree that would be unlikely but SONY is known for surprises. Key per sector encryption would fix it for sure but it would make the PS3 slower than ever...

- SKFU

HDD decryption tools

In the past days ifcaro and NDT released their HDD decryption tools. If you still didn't know how to do it yourself those may help you a lot to discover and deal with PS3's HDD.



PS3 HDD Toolbox 0.94 and PS3 HDD Studio 2.08 are available for download below:

Download HDD Toolbox 0.94

Download HDD Studio 2.08

The instructions and feature list of NDT's HDD Studio are here: CLICK

src=[ps3news.com & ps3zone.ifcaro.net]

- SKFU

PS3 FW 2.8 == ORP Block

Firmware 2.8 just became available for retail users to download and update their PlayStation 3 system. Now Dashhacker (the developer of Open Remote Play) gave a statement that the new firmware blocks his application. The video stream will only work like for 30-60 seconds as he mentions:

As some of you may already know, Sony has blocked Open Remote Play as of PS3 firmware v2.80, June 24th. At this time, ORP will no longer work for longer than about 30 - 60 seconds. I've only looked at the problem for a few minutes but it seems that they've "poisoned" the video stream by some means rather than changing the keys or cryptography. I'll study what they've done and patch FFmpeg within the next... week? month? Not too sure how long it'll be before I can undo Sony's greedy brain damage. I'll post any progress here as I muddle through it.

Why patch a useful application which does not even affect PS3's security in general? We don't know.

- SKFU

src=[ps3-hacks.com]

XMB - What simply would be possible

The XMB is a nice core for a lot of features but why are they not unlocked yet? To mention a few examples:


Selfmade Widgets
The PS3 uses a widget engine based on open source for the information board. So why not give us the ability to load our own homebrew widget's from external mediums or install them like themes? As they mostly use XML and flash files it wouldn't even compromise PS3's security.

Music Visualizations
The PSP has a lot of them, the PS3 only three. Next-Gen multimedia entertainment? Not really, yet.

Universal Messenger
The PSP can use Skype, why not the PS3? The PS3's messaging system is based on Jabber. It would be very simple to allow the PS3 to communicate with iCQ, Google Talk and other instant messenger protocols.

Open File Transfer
Why can we only send pictures with size limitation via the PSN while we would more like to send music files or savegames. If that uses to much ressources like traffic, then P2P would be a solution.

Session Video/Audio Streaming
We have an audio/video and textchat there. Where's the ability to stream videos or music to watch/listen them with friends over the PSN? If it's the traffic problem again, one PS3 can host a server and invite friends.

Ingame Invites
Change the game unique invitation system and do it like for example Resident Evil 5 does. Invitations via XMB, we don't need another invitation way for every game. Keep it easy.

Trophy Sync. & Compare
Every time we want to compare our trophies with friends account we need to sync them again with the server. Why not local check which trophy file changed, than comparing every file online which takes the user a lot of painful time and patience. Do a simple hash and if the hash didnt change since last sync, let it be.

XMB Music
Click the wrong option and the music stops. Why? There's no need to stop the music whily changing some settings or load a friends profile.

- SKFU

Phrack Magazine #66: Hacking the Cell Broadband Engine Architecture

A few days ago the new Phrack Issue had its street date including an article about "Hacking the Cell Broadband Engine Architecture". The author BSDaemon who works for RISE Security used a PlayStation3 system for his tests and got very interesting information for you; definitely worth reading:

CLICK TO READ

- SKFU

2 Fast 2 Furious: PC <-> PS3 Messenger Take 2

Fast progress today. Just after we finished the sign-in adress checker which you see in the post below, now we finished another part of the whole. The user info reader is finished and ready to be implemented. With it we can define user's PSN nickname, language, avatar and the "about me"-section. Come back to follow the project and keep informed ;-)

- SKFU

Work in Progress: PC <-> PS3 Messenger

Many user would like to communicate with their friends on PS3. As there's no default application for it we thought of just writing our own if it is possible. So we done a lot of research already, but still work in progress. The base to work on is definitive there and we will try to successfull finish this nice project. What I can tell you so far, is that the PSN messaging is based on the XMPP protocol, used by several IM-programs like Jabber.

The pic above is the application to check for the real nickname which the PSN uses to login.

We also just finished an application to filter the real nickname you will need to login into the PSN later. You will just need to enter your normal PSN account name and the program spits out your messanger nickname. With this nickname, you can then login into the messenger environment to be able to send pics and messages to your PS3 friends. We hope it's possible to have all running soon and be able to give you a usefull addon for the PC, so you don't need to feel "alone", just you'r not on your PS3 and can type with your friends ;-)

- SKFU & iQD