Rumor: PSN Downtime Due to Firmware Hack, Piracy

by Alex Co, posted on 26 April 2011 / 5,411 Views

While all we’ve heard from Sony about PSN’s outage is “external intrusion,” a few details seem to be coming out. Not from Sony themselves but from other groups who claim to have knowledge of the situation.

Keep in mind that these are considered rumors until proven otherwise.

A Reddit user by the name ofchesh420 who introduces himself  to be a moderator of PSX-Scene.com claims the real reason why the PSN is down is because of a CFW (Custom Firmware) called Rebug that allows users to validate fake credit card numbers on the PSN. 

He says that this firmware turns a retail console to a dev console, “not fully, but gives you a lot of the same options that usually dev's only have access to.”

“Anyway, this new CFW was quickly figured out by 3rd parties (not Rebug) to give CFW users access to the PSN network again via the dev networks. With a little manipulation of the URL's through a proxy server you could get your hacked console back online. Not that big of a deal, right? Well, it also turns out that some people over at NGU found out that you could provide fake CC# info and the authenticity of the information was never checked as you were on Sony's private developer PSN network (essentially a network that Sony trusted). What happened next was extreme piracy of PSN content.  Sony realizing the issue here shut down the network."

Chesh420 does admit that this is more about speculation than full-on facts, but “it is speculation based on a lot of facts and the outcome seems to make the most sense.”

Further updates show that a user by the name of Mathieulh has just been in contact with someone who has official access to SCE devnet servers and it was posted today that only 3.60 debug firmwares will be allowed on the dev network and all earlier versions will be cut. If you want to retain access, you need to contact Sony and upgrade to the 3.60 debug firmware. If this is indeed true, then it might lend more credibility to Chesh420’s claims.

To read his full post, click here.

While this might not be the only one reason for PSN’s outage, it could very well be one of the many things troubling the network from being fully operational right away.

More on this as it develops.


11 Comments

ssj12
ssj12 (on 26 April 2011)

All this sounds like, if true, is that Sony failed completely on protecting the developer side of their network. If I were a dev I'd be more pissed about this than the users as this would mean all pre-beta games would easily have been stolen off developer PS3s.

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lt_dan
lt_dan (on 26 April 2011)

all i want to know is when psn will be back up so i know if i need to set up for a long wait or if it will be up soon

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viewtiful_jon
viewtiful_jon (on 26 April 2011)

Found this info elsewhere Here is the data that Sony is sure has been compromised if you have a PlayStation Network Account: •Your name •Your address (city, state, and zip) •Country •E-mail address •Birthday •PSN password and login name "It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained. If you have authorized a sub-account for your dependent, the same data with respect to your dependent may have been obtained," Sony announced. While the company claims that there is "no evidence" that credit card information has been compromised, it won't rule out the possibility.

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poroporo
poroporo (on 26 April 2011)

Now I have to drive to the store in order to buy my games. Also, I use prepaid PSN cards. Don't care ~

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kitler53
kitler53 (on 26 April 2011)

homebrew!!

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Kudistos Megistos
Kudistos Megistos (on 26 April 2011)

This story is making my BS detector go crazy.

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reidlosdog
reidlosdog (on 26 April 2011)

I want to know when Sony is going to start charging for PSN. I say it often, and every time I have someone get outraged at me, so calm down. I want Sony to make a profit off of PSN, and they aren't. They are in the red when it comes to PSN. If they simply stated: "we need you guys to pay us in order for this entire thing to be secure, safe, and fun." I think the Sony fanboys would gladly jump on the band wagon. I know I would. But this might make the 360 a more viable option to play on, or PSN would have so much more to offer. It's hard to tell. I personally just think Sony should charge for online pay. With a community this large and most sales happening outside of the online network for both networks, it makes sense to charge for online capability. If you disagree with me, good for you. I just want Sony to do well on PSN, and ever since the PSN has been up and running, it hasn't.

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EdStation3
EdStation3 (on 26 April 2011)

I'd really love to throw a haymaker in whoever is doing this's face.

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kain_kusanagi
kain_kusanagi (on 26 April 2011)

If this is true Sony really screwed up when designing their security. The 360 and Wii have been hacked for years but their networks haven't. The PS4 will probably have network security similar to Steam to avoid this kind of thing even if the system itself gets hacked.

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MessiaH
MessiaH (on 26 April 2011)

I don't know if this is true. This: "Well, it also turns out that some people over at NGU found out that you could provide fake CC# info and the authenticity of the information was never checked as you were on Sony's private developer PSN network (essentially a network that Sony trusted)." sounds like bullshit to me. There is no such thing as a company having such a trusted network that they do not check the authenticity of payments. A red flag would be raised at some point in the process of making a payment. Companies don't just "trust" someone and let them pay blindly, even the most trusted partnerships have some sort of checks and balances, either through bank reconciliations, or authentication of payment means, etc. We're talking about a global organization, not some mom n pop store that might let something like this pass. Shit, maybe I am wrong and this does hold true, but it doesn't sound right.

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Solid-Stark
Solid-Stark (on 26 April 2011)

I hope it's nothing more.

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