OK. That’s not really true. You couldn’t actually hack the PS3 with a Ham and Cheese Sandwich. But there was a degree in PS3’s hacking historical past the place it appeared sending payloads to the console with the craziest units attainable was virtually a contest for hackers. This is the story of PSGroove and PSJailbreak, or how the PS3 homebrew group thwarted the plans of some underground group to turn into wealthy on the again of PS3 piracy.
Crazy Hacks – What’s this all about?
In this collection of articles, we’ll be discussing imaginative hacks for varied consoles and units. Some grew to become immediately standard on the time of their launch, others have been a bit obscure or obtained forgotten with time, however all of them have been actually loopy on this author’s humble opinion. From “It’s so dumb it might’t probably work” to “wait, how did they even consider that?” and all the things in between, we hope you’ll get pleasure from this collection.
PSJailbreak: How the primary PS3 piracy dongle got here to be
Like all fashionable consoles, the PS3 was removed from being hacked on day one.
The PS3 got here out in 2006, and it took a number of years for the primary piracy dongle to see the sunshine of day. Between 2006 and 2010, a number of hackers and groups appeared into the console, however many of the launched hacks in these first few years have been targeting Linux (the PS3 initially allowed twin boot with Linux by its OtherOS function), PS2 backup loading and/or emulation (some PS3 fashions had PS2 backwards compatibility), Java homebrew, or {hardware} mods circuitously associated to piracy or homebrew.
But 2010 got here, and that 12 months was a turning level within the PS3 hacking scene for a number of causes.
In January, a USB dongle named “Zpack” pretended to permit PS3 video games backup loading (a.okay.a. piracy), and was one of many first credible rumors on the subject (late 2009, a gaggle named Belzar had related claims, however that by no means noticed the sunshine of day).
January 2010 was additionally the time that well-known hacker Geohot hacked the PS3 Hypervisor, with a {hardware} glitching hack that labored on PS3 firmware 3.10. There’s little question that this exploit paved the best way for future PS3 hacking, however it’s essential to notice that so far as finish customers have been involved, this launch was not for them.
2010 can also be the 12 months Sony introduced they might take away the OtherOS function, which based on some is what actually triggered quite a lot of hackers to launch exploits in retaliation. It’s extra seemingly Sony noticed the OtherOS function as a menace as a result of it allowed hackers akin to Geohot to play in a sandbox that would probably be escaped, for deeper entry to the {hardware}.
In August 2010, the primary actually legit-looking PS3 piracy dongle was introduced, named PSJailbreak. This is what their authentic announce appeared like:
- PS Jailbreak is a USB plug and play resolution that installs in seconds, retaining your legitimate guarantee seal in tact.
- Easy to make use of installer and GUI takes you step-by-step. Compatible with all manufacturing fashions FAT and SLIM. Supports all areas: USA, JAP, PAL and KOREA
- PS Jailbreak disables pressured software program updates and can by no means brick your console.
- Supports all video games (it doesn’t permit backups of bluray motion pictures , dvd motion pictures , or previous consoles video games)
- Backup video games to your inside laborious drive or exterior laborious drive by USB, and boot instantly off GUI. Eliminating the necessity for costly blueray burners and dear clean media.
- Play backups off your laborious drives 2x as quick as off the blueray drive. This eliminates lags and glitches to give you smoother sport play.
- Open up your console to a brand new era of homebrew purposes. Load homebrew apps/video games off any USB laborious drive/flash drive.
- Fully updatable with new options/updates by connecting PS Jailbreak to any computer systems USB port.
This sounded rather a lot like earlier “usb piracy dongle” bulletins the scene had seen earlier than, like Belzar and ZPack talked about above, however PSJailbreak turned out to be the actual deal.
Multiple PS3 hackers on the time confirmed this was the actual factor. There have been additionally robust rumors that PSJailbreak relied on official instruments from Sony, that may have been stolen, or bought illegally.
PS3 Hacker SKFU said the PS Jailbreak was made with illegally acquired Sony instruments
And as quickly as preorders for PSJailbreak hit the market, the machine began promoting like hotcakes, regardless of its steep retail worth of greater than $150.
Sony efficiently sued a number of the retailers of the machine very shortly after its announcement, and even earlier than it began promoting, for instance in Australia. Whether this contributed to some Streisand impact or not we will’t inform for positive, however wherever it was nonetheless on sale, legally or not, PSJailbreak bought very well, particularly contemplating its worth. To be clear, the piracy group behind PSJailbreak leveraged the truth that the have been the one ones available on the market. You have been paying $150 in order that you possibly can pirate hundreds of {dollars} value of video video games, nothing else. The {hardware} this factor ran on, price at most $5 to supply.
PSGroove: Your costly Jailbreak dongle is now free
Obviously, how PSJailbreak labored was a close-kept secret. It was the group’s golden goose and so they weren’t going to open supply it. Especially if the rumors of it utilizing stolen Sony code have been true.
Multiple hackers within the homebrew scene needed to reverse engineer PSJailbreak for a number of causes. Some believed that creating wealth on the again of piracy is among the worst offence attainable as a hacker. Others had causes to suppose PSJailbreak was utilizing open supply code with out authorization. For some, it was the technical problem. Last however not least, folks needed to reuse the PSJailbreak options to do greater than piracy with it. Running emulators and homebrews was such a detailed chance we might virtually style it.
In a surprisingly quick period of time, a workforce of PS3 homebrew builders reverse-engineered the PSJailbreak dongle, and launched an open supply equal, named PSGroove. 
This was really reverse engineered so quick that some folks hadn’t acquired their preordered PSJailbreak dongle by the point PS Groove was out. (On a aspect notice, this was a possibility for mainstream media to blur the traces and mangle the 2 tasks as in the event that they have been the identical factor.)
PSJailbreak was nonetheless profitable, although. For authorized and moral causes, PSGroove didn’t ship with the piracy performance embedded on PSJailbreak (though after all that performance rapidly obtained added again by different hackers), and it will be naïve to suppose this wasn’t a giant promoting level of PSJailbreak. There was additionally an aura of perception {that a} “business” product akin to PSJailbreak was simpler to make use of and got here with added assure that it will work on future firmwares (there was no such assure, and by no means is, with piracy dongles).
Also, PSJailbreak labored out of the field, whilst you needed to compile and set up PSGroove manually on some specialised {hardware} units akin to a Teensy++ improvement board. Not dramatically difficult, however when the choice is a USB key you plug into your console, one thing wanted to be performed for PSGroove.
Respite was quick for the PSJailbreak although: it didn’t take lengthy for the homebrew group to port PSGroove to different USB units. To the purpose that it virtually felt like a meta sport for the scene: port PSGroove to the craziest USB-compatible machine you’ll be able to consider, to earn scene credit score. (It’s value mentioning at this level that the machine wanted USBHost performance and computing energy to inject the exploit, so your typical USB key was not an possibility. The PSJailbreak appeared like a USB Key, however had a microcontroller embedded).
PS Groove obtained ported to then standard TI-84 calculator, to the iPod, PIC microcontrollers, Android telephones and different standard smartphones of the period, and even to the PS3’s personal Sixaxis controller! (though that one required some extra {hardware} modifications).
This stream of ports of PSGroove to the craziest, most obscure units triggered a bunch of clickbait titles from mainstream web sites, alongside the traces of “PS3 Jailbroken with a pocket calculator”. This made me jokingly submit a video stating I had ported PSGroove to a Ham and Cheese sandwich. (And yeah, some folks obtained indignant considering I used to be actually making an attempt to cross it as an precise launch…)
And that is how, earlier than it really hit retail, the business PS3 hacking dongle PSJailbreak was crushed by an open supply resolution, PSGroove.
PSJailbreak vs PSGroove. The epilogue
Firmware 3.41, on which PSJailbreak and PSGroove have been operating, grew to become the “golden” firmware of PS3 hacking for a really quick whereas. Shortly after these units obtained out, we noticed a rise in homebrew and emulator releases from the P3 Scene.
In September, very shortly after the PSJailbreak announcement, Sony revealed firmware 3.42, which blocked the exploit. PSJailbreak in a while launched help for firmware 3.42 and three.5, however the cat and mouse sport confirmed Sony might pretty simply patch such exploits involving software program vulnerabilities.
Ultimately, these “early” PS3 hacks grew to become irrelevant after the three.55 Jailbreak was launched only a few months later in early 2011, with 3.55 turning into the brand new golden firmware for PS3 hacking.
PSGroove can nonetheless be discovered on github, though after all it’s principally ineffective these days, on condition that newer jailbreaking instruments exist for more moderen PS3 firmwares. Similarly, it’s also possible to discover the PSJailbreak machine on the market on some websites, though I miss out on why you’d wish to purchase it these days, aside from archival functions.
Mathieulh, one of many foremost developer behind PSGroove, remained extraordinarily energetic on the PS3/PSP scene, and, though much less overtly, on the PS4 scene as effectively. To my information, we don’t know to at the present time who was behind PSJailbreak.
Crazy hacks – What’s coming subsequent for Sony?
There is one thing actually fascinating about Nintendo’s weak spot in opposition to quite common objects. Who is aware of if their subsequent console might be hacked with a pen and a stick of gum. What different loopy hacks have you ever witnessed? Let us know within the feedback!
A fast conclusion (please learn!)
Before you allow, a couple of notes:
- Plenty of particular particulars (specifically the timeline of occasions) got here from Gregory Rasputin’s “The full historical past of PS3” e-book. It’s not the best learn, a bit dry, however most likely essentially the most full e-book on PS3’s historical past you’ll ever discover, with very exact dates and occasions, masking each the “official” PS3 releases in addition to the scene. Greg was a pillar of the PS3 homebrew scene and is aware of his stuff.
- I’ve performed my greatest to inform the tales in all articles of this collection as precisely as attainable. In most instances, I used to be there when this stuff occurred, masking them reside right here on wololo.web. With that being stated, these occasions occurred years (generally a long time!) in the past, and naturally I needed to look again at many sources to refresh my reminiscence. If something in these articles is inaccurate or just fallacious, please drop a remark beneath and I’ll do my greatest to repair it!
More from the “Crazy Hacks” Series
If you loved this text, please examine all articles within the collection:
