14 DAY TRIAL // The most recent PlayStation 3 firmware, version 3.56, may have quite a few surprises up its proverbial sleeve, as two different reports say that the software not only includes a special type of rootkit, which will allow Sony complete remote access to your PS3's inner workings, but also prevents any type of new hard drive disc upgrades.
Sony has been combating PlayStation 3 hackers with new firmware releases lately, and the most recent one, version 3.56, was launched last week specifically to solve certain "security issues."
As we reported at the end of last week, hackers already managed to unpack the software, and started poking around to see what Sony was doing to prevent their efforts.
Their newest discovery is pretty surprising, however, as they report that Sony has fitted something similar to a rootkit in the new firmware.
Once your PS3 is running version 3.56 software, every time you log into the PlayStation Network, a certain piece of code is ran in order to check various things with Sony, most likely the authenticity of the firmware version or if the console ran any type of homebrew applications.
Hackers warn that the code can be swapped out remotely by Sony without issuing any type of new firmware update, and will allow the company to completely control the console without the user knowing anything.
"Essentially Sony can now remotely execute code on the PS3 as soon as you connect. This can do whatever Sony wants it to do such as verifying system files or searching for homebrew. Sony can change the code and add new detection methods without any firmware updates and as the code executes remotely there is no reliable way to forge the replies," said one of the NeoGAF forum members.
"Whilst it is possible to patch or remove this code from the firmware this will likely mean the end of playing CFW online (as PSN can just check before login that this is active) or at the very least mean it will be even easier for Sony to detect and ban users."
"Judging from the fact that people can still connect using the proxy method it seems Sony hasn't activated any of this yet but the functions are there in the new firmware," he added.
But while the rootkit issue may not worry PlayStation 3 owners that play legally, a new problem has also popped up with firmware 3.56.
According to the Examiner, if your console has the new software, you won't be able to upgrade the hard drive of the console.
The cause of the issue isn't known, but newer versions of the PS3 are affective by this problem, so check out the list of affected models below.
Original PS3s: CECHH CECHJ CECHK CECHL CECHM CECHP CECHQ
Slim PS3s: CECH-20..A CECH-20..B CECH-21..A CECH-21..B CECH-250.A CECH-250.B CECH-250.A CECH-250.B CECH-251.A CECH-251.B
You can find out the code of your PlayStation 3 model on its retail box.
So far, Sony hasn't commented on any of these issues, so expect more details in the following days or weeks.