14 DAY TRIAL // It looks like the PSP firmware is hacked at the same rate as it is being upgraded. A developer known as hitchhikr of "hitchhikr SoftWorks" and the Neural group have come up with a Proof of Concept of a 2.50/2.60 Firmware Exploit.
The exploit takes advantage of an added security check in 2.50/2.60 Firmware for sceKernelLoadExec, which is responsible for loading EBOOTs. Somehow, Sony also accidentally added an overflow bug, which means this exploit will not work with 2.0 and 2.01 Firmware.
Once implemented and tuned for "normal users", this will bring 2.50 and 2.60 Firmware up to the same homebrew capability as that for 1.50, with full kernel mode access. As it was the case with eLoader, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories will still be required.
Fanjita, the developer of eLoader, is already working with hitchhikr on incorporating this new exploit into an easily executable means by eLoader means. Fanjita promised that a generic application for developers will be available in a short time. However, something usable for non-devs will require much more time to finish.
This kind of software is released as a reaction towards Sony's politics against the use of PSP for homebrew applications, unlicensed games and emulation programs. The circular logic of this fact is that with every firmware hack, Sony releases a firmware update which besides some new nice additions (i.e. some of the v2.70's upgrades are support for Flash 6 or easy access to audio files from a memory stick), also comes with some "unwanted" ones, like "fixing" the "warez" applications restriction on their PSP.
If truth be told, at this moment hacking and slashing through the PSP firmware may be as useless as preventing "warez applications" on it. There is little of real interest that may take place in the guts of a PSP. Many of the users complain that there is little value to the games designed for it. Until better game titles are released, one of the best aspects of the PSP is watching movies and listening to music (stored on a memory card) on the long trips. And such a thing needs some cracking, otherwise ripped movies and music won't ever run. You probably know better how things are: you cannot play your average movie DVD on your PSP. Go figure.
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