New PS3 Firmware Contains Backdoor 491
Vectormatic noted the rumor floating around that the most recent PS3 patch has a backdoor, and "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."
AGAIN, Sony? (Score:5, Insightful)
Didn't you learn from your mistakes the last time you tried this?
Re:AGAIN, Sony? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:AGAIN, Sony? (Score:5, Insightful)
they learned that the kids today will buy anything if its shiny. rootkits? sony music vs the world? optical discs with invasive DRM? annoying copy/read protections? proprietary connectors that cost as much as the unit, itself? remember all that stuff?
wait, hang on:
"oh look, a new video game to keep us distracted. lets get it!"
its impossible to get a boycott going; the 'shininess' wins with today's kids and they do NOT ever vote with their wallets. they buy sony blue ray (no, I'm not spelling it their way), they encourage the DRM with their purchases and sony laughs all the way to the bank.
I can't see any products sony offers that isn't also available elsewhere and better. not the exact same thing, but sony is *fully* boycottable with very little pain involved. its easy to do.
please consider not buying sony. ever. you can find alternatives. you can, really.
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Re:AGAIN, Sony? (Score:4)
How is Apple worse?
When did they root kit your iPod or iPhone?
Who did they take to court for jail breaking?
The answer is they have not done either of these.
You are free to hate Apple or Sony or MSFT.
Just please be accurate when you rant.
Re:AGAIN, Sony? (Score:5, Interesting)
Well, I personally don't accept Sony stealing from their customers *even though this time that customer wasn't me*.
Sony first advertised OtherOS (combined with the ability to play new games and the ability to get on PSN) and then removed this.
Theft.
I don't voluntarily give money to thieves, even if they so far haven't stolen from me.
So I've boycotted Sony, and they can say bye bye to the $1000+ per year I used to spend with them.
Whether "lots of people" are happy with them is immaterial - I was happy with what they delivered, until they started stealing from people.
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lawsuits? what are those?
Lawsuits (Score:2)
In the USA suits do lawsuits to make law by precedent. Also, laws make suits.
Re:AGAIN, Sony? (Score:4, Insightful)
ohh so you mean besides the sony root kit and remotely disabling blueray player fiasco didn't tell you way in advanced not to buy sony products?
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I do agree... Sony sells the best dedicated console, and even with this move, the most open. It is not in my best interest as a user for them to make stealing software any easier, so I really have no problem, if that's the extent of their use for this interface. And given "secret" update pushes already documented in Windows, I think there's an excellent chance that Sony was, until just now, the only one NOT doing this kind of thing already.
On the other hand, I used to be a big fan of Sony media players, tel
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Re:AGAIN, Sony? (Score:4, Informative)
Actually, no. The Xbox360 won't execute code without permission.
The worst it currently does is check that your firmware and the game you are wanting to play are both up to date, and then if either check fails, tells you you will be signed out of Live (but still free to play the game in offline or LAN mode).
Could I see MS doing this in in the future? Possibly. But I really don't think they consider it that big a deal. The people who have a hacked Xbox360 are already pretty much staying offline anyways so it wouldn't do them much good to insert this kind of code.
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When the Kinetix was hacked to support the PC, Microsoft not only didn't get legal: they celebrated the achievement. MS has not made a practice of suing its customers. They do check the integrity of your system before allowing you to play online - that strikes me as completely reasonable, as part of a TOS for an online service - but they don't sue you if you hack your system, nor force your system to upgrade if you don't want to.
IRC (Score:5, Informative)
Not that I respect Sony considering what they've done in the past but I think I'll hold off judgement for a bit longer on this one.
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I'm with you on that, Sony definitely isn't above doing this sort of thing, but personally I'm going to wait until there's more information available before updating my firmware just in case. Personally, I won't be buying anything more from Sony after this. If they think that they can treat me like this they can pretty much just fuck themselves with the longest, pointiest, hottest poker they can find.
Re:IRC (Score:4, Insightful)
You mean their track record for shoddy products, crappy product support, the previous rootkit installs and their close ties with the RIAA haven't been reason enough for you?
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It's the second product of theirs I've owned and the other one was a laptop which was just fine. When I got the PS3 it was cheaper than the other options for a bluray player.
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Not going to name a lot of names, but I recently bought a Panasonic Blu-Ray player... while rooting around in the system menus I found, not even buried that deeply (only 2 menus in), an abridged copy of the GPL and LGPL, with links to where I can go to read the full license (on gnu.org), and an e-mail address and snail mail address where I can request the full source code for the player.
It came with the caveat that they would wait until the product had been on the market for 3 years in order to protect thei
Re:IRC (Score:4, Informative)
Panasonic, for one.
I used to have a Panasonic digital camera, of the "superzoom" type. The lens (which had the fastest aperture of any superzoom lens available) incorporated anomalous-dispersion glass and was well-designed, and thus had pretty low levels of chromatic aberration; the residual chromatic aberration had been characterized by the lens designer and was cleaned up in software in the camera. For what it was, it took amazing pictures.
Sony made a competing product. It had all sorts of shiny stuff advertised on the box -- lots of megapixels, various gee-whiz modes, "smile shutter", all sorts of stuff that can be marketed -- but the lens was *shit*, with nutty amounts of chromatic aberration, so it didn't matter what you did with it -- you weren't going to take good pictures at the long end of that lens, gee-whiz stuff or no, because the lens sucked.
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I think I'll hold off judgement for a bit longer on this one.
I'm with you on that,
Personally, I won't be buying anything more from Sony after this. If they think that they can treat me like this they can pretty much just fuck themselves with the longest, pointiest, hottest poker they can find.
Well, so much for that.
Re:IRC (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't beleive Sony are that dumb. A backdoor pretty much opens the PS3 not just to Sony but hackers and most importantly malware writers. PS3 botnet anyone?
Re:IRC (Score:5, Informative)
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Actually, they HAVENT done that before-- read the article you linked. That was a rootkit, not a backdoor; they are related but seperate. The BMG rootkit did not allow remote code execution; it instead took measures to hide its activity from visibility, causing havoc with some CD drives and assisting some viruses in the process.
Rootkit=/= backdoor. I know its fun to hate on Sony, and I fully support such positions, but lets not distort the truth here.
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Actually, they HAVENT done that before-- read the article you linked. That was a rootkit, not a backdoor; they are related but seperate. The BMG rootkit did not allow remote code execution; it instead took measures to hide its activity from visibility, causing havoc with some CD drives and assisting some viruses in the process.
Rootkit=/= backdoor. I know its fun to hate on Sony, and I fully support such positions, but lets not distort the truth here.
Dear Sony stakeholder, The point is that they are both malicious. Thanks.
Re:IRC (Score:5, Informative)
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Isn't that like saying that you didn't beat someone to death your right hand did.
A CEO should be held responsible for the actions of the company they run. Isn't that one of the reasons they earn those multi-million dollar pay packets.
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A CEO should be held responsible for the actions of the company they run. Isn't that one of the reasons they earn those multi-million dollar pay packets.
Of course not, silly person!
They earn those millions because they won the "race-to-the-bottom" against all the other corrupt, amoral corporate executives competing for the position by being the most ruthless and amoral in their pursuit of money and power.
It's rather like a twisted "executive Darwinism" that's encouraged and enabled in the US by corrupt Progressive politicians in BOTH parties that have abandoned the Constitution and the rule of law starting about 100 years ago and having grown worse every ye
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Actually I don't think people from different divisions of Sony talk to each other much.
Sony seems to be more a group of companies under one name, than a giant mammoth working in sync.
Some of their divisions don't seem to even get along. etc Sony music vs Sony electronics
It appears it has been like this for decades...
Hence I try not to punish one division for the sins of another, because chances are they had nothing to do with it.
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I think a botnet would be just about the best use possible for that heaping pile of shit.
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I didn't think Sony would remove the Linux option, which was a feature from day 1. I was wrong.
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>>>I think I'll hold off judgement for a bit longer on this one.
Has Sony done anything worthwhile?
- invented CD.
- invented Playstation and broke the NES/SNES monopoly.
the end
I was planning to get a PS3 once the price dropped, but now I think I'll just continue playing my PS2 and 1 games. The Nintendo Wii is looking pretty attractive (although I hate playing Sonic with that damn controller that doesn't register my inputs). Or maybe an Xbox 360.
Any PS3 games that will not play on the 360? Or maybe
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Sony also invented the 3.5" diskette.
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Nope. Sony's design was rejected. So were most other 3 or 3.5 inch variants. The final Floppy was based on a conglomeration of multiple companies, similar to how the DVD was created.
Somebody else wrote:
>>>What monopoly?
NES had over 90% share of the market. SNES was closer to a 50-50 share with Sega Genesis/megadrive.
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Any PS3 games that will not play on the 360? Or maybe just quit consoles and try computer gaming again. Haven't touched a computer game since the 32-bit Amiga era.
I'd say, Disgaea 3. That's one game that make me want a PS3... Sadly, as good as it is, it's still not good enough to counter Sony "bend-over" policy.
I really hate it when titles that can perfectly work on every recent system get locked down to one without reason (at least, good reason).
Genesis does what Nintendon't (Score:2)
Has Sony done anything worthwhile?
Successfully sued Universal City Studios (now a division of Comcast) to allow the importation of Betamax VCRs into the United States (Sony v. Universal), establishing the substantial noninfringing use test.
broke the NES/SNES monopoly
What monopoly? Long before "Droid does what iDon't", there was "Genesis does what Nintendon't".
I was planning to get a PS3 once the price dropped
Stick with PCs. They're the only way you can be sure not to have an intentional backdoor used against you.
Any PS3 games that will not play on the 360?
MGS4 isn't ported because it fills the Blu-ray Disc and would fill three or four 360 DVDs. LittleBigPlane
Wrong. CDROM = (Sony=LaserDisc) + (Philips=CD) (Score:2)
Sony invented LaserDisc, Philips invented CD. And what we now know as a CD is the result of a joint task force between the two.
Interesting reads are wikipedia or "The CD Story" written by one of the engineers on that task force: http://www.exp-math.uni-essen.de/~immink/pdf/cdstory.htm [uni-essen.de]
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Has Sony done anything worthwhile? - invented CD. - invented Playstation and broke the NES/SNES monopoly. the end
Also Umatic, Betacam, and C-format (with Ampex). DASH. The APR series. They did a good job with professional A/V gear, and their earlier reputation is probably built on the back of that.
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I'm pretty sure that Philips was actually the driving force behind the creation of the Compact Disc. Besides, there was no Nintendo monopoly by the time Sony entered the console game... Sega had been providing ample competition, especially with the Genesis.
I'd say ditch the consoles. Most decent console games are also available on the PC. The handful that you'll miss out on won't really matter in the long run anyway.
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invented CD.
The work was done by Sony and Philips engineers. I worked with one of the key engineers (well, I was in IT, so it is more accurate to say I worked alongside or perhaps near him) at Silicon Engineering. This story would be a lot cooler if I could remember who it was.
invented Playstation and broke the NES/SNES monopoly.
I guess you forgot about Sega, which had a quite successful business selling video games at the time. The Playstation forced them to reevaluate their strategy and they developed the Dreamcast, perhaps their first console that was really designed
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He asked
Any PS3 games that will not play on the 360?
not
Any 3rd party PS3 games that will not play on the 360?
Hence I saw no reason to exclude Sony 1st party exclusives.
Bash.org (Score:5, Insightful)
Bash.org [bash.org] archiving reliable reporting sources since Wednesday February 02, @12:16AM.
Such as ...
Cthon98's expose on gullibility and technological literacy [bash.org]
erno's scandal on the misappropriated resources [bash.org]
CRCError's report on the abuses of power [bash.org]
DragonflyBlade21's critique on the human condition [bash.org]
... and of course entertainment news...
JonJonB's review of Harry Potter [bash.org]
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In the absence of effective hardware security, this is the only way to stop people cheating in online games. This has become a big problem on the PS3 [techspot.com] since the jailbreak enabled it [binplay.com].
On the PC, where there was never any hardware security to prevent cheating, publishers have been using the same technique for many years. Consider Blizzard Warden [wikipedia.org], Punkbuster [wikipedia.org], and Valve Anti Cheat [wikipedia.org]. All of these allow the publisher - or their authorised agents - to download and run code on your machine when you connect to the on
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They should have bought a real computer. (Score:2, Interesting)
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I'm fine if Apple's tablets run a special-purpose, consumer-only OS that limits your freedom. If the Mac shows signs of going in the same direction, I have a bad feeling. If then Google releases a netbook with a locked boot loader that will only load Chrome OS, which in turn requires you to log in with your Google Account upon power up, I start to worry.
Perhaps RMS wasn't so paranoid when he warned against "the cloud" after all.
Provided Linux PCs remain available (Score:2)
I'm just holding out hope that "real" computers will at least remain available
Or we could just run Linux.
That is, if you can even buy a computer that respects your freedom to run a version of Linux that isn't Tivoized. If the PC market were anything like the mobile and console markets, one would have to buy a multi-thousand-dollar computer on which to make even the simplest of apps and a $100 per year or more certificate just to be able to run apps that you have made on a computer that you have purchased.
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Makes you wonder how safe is it really to use these "game console" things, which is really a computer with no local rights to OS control.
Aw, cmon, what could possibly go wrong?
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Not only that but it also has access to an email address you used to sign up, a username and a password. And these may be attached to a credit card record online.
Apple copied Microsoft here (Score:2)
Who? (Score:2)
Sony??!? (Score:5, Funny)
But such a control-freak move seems so out of character for Sony. I mean, Sony installing an intrusive backdoor that could potentially be abused, just to fight a few pirates? I can't think of a precedent for that.
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Not a rootkit (Score:5, Informative)
The "article" calls this a rootkit. The summary calls it a backdoor. Neither is strictly true.
Rootkits allow unauthorized users root level access and backdoors allow unauthorized remote users access. In this case, you're installing Sony software and this software allows Sony to autoupdate their software and remove cracks. This isn't much different from Chrome autoupdating or Firefox blacklisting certain extensions. The only real difference is that Sony might not have been all that forthcoming about the fact that this new firmware has this capability. My guess is that if you look at the EULA carefully, it does specify that they are allowed to do this.
I would suggest that if you think they have trampled on your rights, then take them to court. Sony will just keep making their firmware more and more "evil" until a sizable number of users stands up and says "no more".
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Actually, your definitions are not accurate...
Rootkits allow remote users, authorized or not, clandestine root level access to a system without any auditing showing when it occurred- it injects the following into a system.
Backdoors allow a remote user a way into the system outside of the security and auditing of a system.
Neither of these require "unauthorized" users to be using them- and Sony claiming it's "authorized" to do so through it's PSN EULA does not negate that it's pretty much a backdoor that was
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A key thing to consider here - Since the firmware updates have been broken "wide open", there are no authentication secrets for this backdoor that Sony is in possession of that other parties are not.
Basically - Sony has access to this backdoor but SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE.
(If it exists, since the evidence supposedly a convo from bash.org - can't read TFA from my current location.)
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Agreed...on all counts there.
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That's incorrect. Nothing forces Sony to reuse the compromised system keys for their back door. They could (should) generate and use entirely new keys, which will be used to validate all downloaded code. The new private key would remain secret. And if they get the cryptography algorithms right this time, this measure shouldn't create any security risk for PS3 owners.
Re:Not a rootkit (Score:4, Insightful)
It wouldn't be-- if Firefox removed the optional "Check for Updates" setting, changed your hosts.txt file and router's routing table, added no new features with the update, and would only show cached, offline pages until you submitted to the update.
So except for nearly everything being different, it's exactly the same.
Re:Not a rootkit (Score:5, Interesting)
Actually, that sort of verbiage can negate a contract or agreement. It has to have a definitive nature at the time of agreement and it needs notice for the change so you can either negotiate new terms or end the same if you don't agree with the new changes. Any verbiage that allows the contract to change so much on a whim as you're implying renders the contract null and void as there's no way to be able to be in compliance with the terms at any given time.
I'm not so sure this is wrong anymore (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't know anymore. We know why they are doing this. To stop developers from thinking that the platform is dead to develop for because there will be rampant piracy.
And to stop cheaters. I'll tell you, I've just recently gotten into online shooters lately (MoH and COD:BO), and I'll tell you, I swear to god the amount of hacks and cheaters* just makes me not want to even bother.
I'm almost siding with Sony on this one. It's almost to the point that you have to buy as soon as it comes out and then you have a window of enjoyment of a month. Then it's worthless. To me, what's the point?
Re:I'm not so sure this is wrong anymore (Score:4, Interesting)
Yeah, I think the only thing that Sony has done wrong is remove the "Other OS" option. They probably should not have included it in the first place. But other than that, Sony has basically sold you:
-A black box capable of playing games
-You have to pay $60 per new game
-If you want to play online, you can't cheat
This firmware doesn't change any of this, so why get upset? If you wanted a general purpose computer that you control the software stack on, then buy a PC and roll your own Linux kernel.
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This firmware doesn't change any of this, so why get upset? If you wanted a general purpose computer that you control the software stack on, then buy a PC and roll your own Linux kernel.
It sets a bad precedent if (and time will tell if this is really the case) the box can be completely taken over by Sony from the outside. I'm not opposed to it per se but it should be clear on the box that they have the ability to do this otherwise it is an invasion of privacy. Sony isn't the copyright police they are a consumer goods company. Any poking around they do should be clearly and unambiguously agreed on by the customer.
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If you wanted a general purpose computer that you control the software stack on, then buy a PC
Most people aren't willing to buy a gaming PC and connect it to a television. Most PC cases would look out of place in a cabinet. Most PCs don't come with a system-wide 10 foot user interface. Many people still have their game consoles connected to SDTVs and aren't aware of the existence of $40 adapter cables from VGA to composite and S-Video, which are sold only online on sites like sewelldirect.com.
Re:I'm not so sure this is wrong anymore (Score:4, Informative)
Actually, the firmware mod opens it up to being further hacked (Do remember that they lost positive control of the ROOT signing key...meaning that ANYONE can MITM their update chain now...) as now hackers can put and remove things at will on their boxes. This means we should see the beginnings of PS3 Botnets all over the place eventually.
And this would make the second wrong move from Sony, with the OtherOS being removed being the first.
DNAS Error -103 (Score:2)
All it requires is a year's worth of patience to wait for the pricedrop.
By which time any attempt to play the game online will result in discovering that the matchmaking servers have been shut down: "DNAS Error -103: The software title is not in service."
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And you honestly believe that this will prevent cheating in general or that their "security" was preventing it- all Sony's losing the keys to their kingdom did was make it slightly easier to cheat.
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Challenge... Compared to console homebrew, PC homebrew's "easy".
As for the rest...that's because Sony screwed the pooch on their security measures and now they've got to frantically try to close the gaping hole in the fence they left, long after the horses left the pasture. The pirates would have eventually accomplished this same task with or without the homebrew crowd and laying this at their feet is LAME as what Sony's done in response to all of it. Quit trying to pin blame for all of this on everyone
Oh yes, raep the customer... (Score:2)
I bought my PS3 dammit! (Score:5, Insightful)
Is it just me, or I could swear that I 'bought' my ps3 and it said nothing about a cable box like rental on the box. Why is it so hard for Sony to understand that this is my property and to leave it well enough alone? If they want to arbitrarily execute code on other people's property it crosses the line to hacking and that's criminal to in most jurisdictions.
What they have done is no different that the cable company demanding root level access to your computer in order to go online. People would be outraged there, why should a game console (which is just a dedicated computer) be any different?
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Is it just me, or I could swear that I 'bought' my ps3 and it said nothing about a cable box like rental on the box. Why is it so hard for Sony to understand that this is my property and to leave it well enough alone?
Excellent idea. Just delete your PSN login and disable automatic updates, and you're fine.
Err, until then, you do realize that you keep logging into their property and as long as you do, you're explicitly agreeing to their conditions, right?
If they want to arbitrarily execute code on other people's property it crosses the line to hacking and that's criminal to in most jurisdictions.
... apparently not.
What they have done is no different that the cable company demanding root level access to your computer in order to go online.
Sure. And that's not illegal. You'd be wise to tell the cable company to fark off, however, and get a different service provider. Of course, if you want to access the cable company's private servers (i.e. "PSN"), then a different service provider won'
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Because int his case they sold you a custom computer (PS3) in the first place, and thus guaranteed you that you could keep on using it for what it was designed to do as long as you didn't fuck with it. From the moment you break away from the deal, they can break away from it too. Don't like it? Don't buy one, or expect them to refuse you support / access. It's not like they were bricking it, or coming to your house to take it back, y'know?
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it crosses the line to hacking and that's criminal to in most jurisdictions.
Nope, it's not. It would be if you or I backdoored someone elses hardware, but multibillion dollar organisations can pull this off.
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I'll bet you Sony considers your purchase of a PS3 as "subsidised". As such, they feel that they have the right to mess with your console.
So, in order to protect their revenue stream they must enforce a strong copy-protection system.
Now, I wonder, if they were to sell a console for a price that they made a reasonable profit on, would it be so expensiv
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Sony did not force you to connect your PS3 to the internet, to use PSN, or to update your firmware.
By way of a car analogy, Ford doesn't force me to drive my car. But it's just not that useful sitting in the garage -- but it is mostly safe from being wrecked.
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Don't some games contain firmware updates on the disc?
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Newer games won't run unless you have the latest firmware version.
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>>All that Sony is saying is that if you connect to their network that you have to abide by their rules
That still doesn't give them permission to hack your machine and violate your constitutional Right to Privacy**.
Well, hey, you don't *have* to use it online, right? No. Like a car being forced to sit in the garage, an offline PS3 is useless, and not what you agreed to when you bought the damn thing.
Or to put it another way, people like you will be very unhappy when their new Murder TOS comes out.
Maybe, Maybe not (Score:2)
If it IS true, then I don't see it as being legal, at all. I certainly do not recall seeing "Sony retains the right to install and execute software in the background, and obtain information about files stored on the device, and engage in general butt fuckery of our users, without user approval" or anything remotely like it in the EULA's.
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The problem is that if they don't call out that they're doing this change and make it clear instead of in the fine print, it may negate their EULA as some of this is really non-enforceable from start to finish. You must, for example, give ample notice that you're changing the terms and doing it in a firmware update isn't it. (Makes the change non-enforceable...) Also, just because they can claim they can do this in the EULA doesn't mean they're legally allowed to do it. It's a sold item. It's roughly an
Rumors are not news. (Score:2)
You're posting an unsubstantiated rumor accusing someone of something pretty major. A rumor overheard in an IRC chatroom. /. to require New York Times level of journalism (or even Fox News) but come on.
I don't expect
D
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I disagree, information like this after the fact is more or less worthless. We'll see whether it turns out to be the case or not, but anybody that patches up might very well be in the position of not being able to undo it. A post like this is just a heads up to look out for something that might happen.
Plus it's not like Sony hasn't done anything like this before.
Warden? (Score:2)
Sounds like something from World of Warcraft? They download code that executes and without proper handshaking they know you've done something funny. Not quite the same as the Warden stuff but close enough and a real PITA to get around I'd expect. If this is simply a hook to allow the download\execute of code it's potentially a real bear to solve short of not using their network. :-(
Fanboys make me Laugh (Score:2)
the same as Microsoft uses to detect and ban 360's
Um, no? M$ uses the MAC and unique console ID and does the banning entirely on their own end. There is no code executed on the 360 at all.
If this is more than speculation, couldn't Sony be tried for the same 'hacker' bullshit they tried some kids for over the last few years, which I believe was "using a computer system without authorization" or something along those lines? If it's not legal for us, it's not legal for them.
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The Sony and Apple bashing on Slashdot is getting retarded.
Every time some news (and even unconfirmed rumours) comes up, everyone flies into knee-jerk mode and start inventing silly worst case scenarios - most which don't even make any sense from a business perspective for the said companies.
Still, it is their network (Score:2)
The rules have always been quite simple. You can do whatever you want with your PS3 as long as you don't go onto Sony's gaming network. Microsoft does the same thing with its Xbox Live - you play by the rules or not at all. The sheer number of people whining about this when it's standard boilerplate business practice to control access to your own servers and private network(s) is amazing. When you connect, it verifies that you aren't running any malicious code or hacks/cheats. This has been a staple of
Way to over dramatize (Score:2)
I doubt the situation is an
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Unfortunately, they didn't just do all this up front, so a lot of us already have our PS3s and little to no recourse.
In that case... don't buy a PS4 ;-) (Score:2)
I know it does not exist yet, but a few years from now, there will probably a PS4 because the PS3 is becoming obsolete.
At that point, everybody should remember that Sony is managed by assholes and cannot be trusted...
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Good news! You do own the hardware you purchased. If you don't like the content of this firmware update then don't take it.
Sony isn't interested in pleasing the small segment of users that do want to hack their units. They're far more interested in ensuring a smooth (and profitable) experience for the vast majority of their user base that doesn't feel like messing around with their units. If you don't like that business model then you shouldn't be buying a Sony product, because this recent update is cer
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Im not sure why you blame Microsoft-- they dont tamper with PC hardware (couldn't, really), and you KNEW what you were getting with the XB360. FWIW I dont remember hearing of them going after anyone for modding their Xbox360 offline, and if you want to connect to live, you KNOW their policies.
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Wow that makes no sense at all. You install firmware by Sony and you're worried that Sony might "do things" to test the integrity of the firmware before letting you sign onto an online service also run by Sony?
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Maybe you should be wondering how Microsoft manages to detect and ban people using modchips. Answer - in a similar fashion as Sony is intending right now - mandatory updates that detect modchips through various means when users sign onto XBL. e.g. this story [tomsguide.com] speculates that MS ste
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Why is this surprising? Some might say backdoor, all it is is an update mechanism. Are there going to be articles on how Firefox has a backdoor that allows execution of any code Mozilla want?
There is such a thing a being a trusted party, yes. But still, people will denounce and despise Mozilla, if Mozilla starts losing trust, showing they want to force people to run code that is harmful to their needs. So far Mozilla has not shown it's in their interest or values to do such things. People run their updates and trust them.