Has The PS3 Finally Been Cracked?

The PS3 has posed quite a challenge to hackers since its release. Thanks to a solid OS and numerous firmware updates (hey, at least they're good for something,) Sony has managed to keep would-be hackers at bay. For years, it seemed as though the PS3 was a puzzle that the modding community would never be able to fully crack. But last month, all of that changed.

In late December, a hacking group called fail0verflow announced that they had finally cracked the PS3 to the extent that Sony would not be able to correct the issue with a firmware update. Apparently, the group discovered private root keys in the PS3 that, when utilized, will allow hackers to run pirated software on the console. The critical flaw lay not in the system's OS, but in the system itself, and as a fail0verflow member recently told BBC, "The only way to fix this issue is new hardware. Sony will have to accept this."

Despite claims to the contrary, Sony has said they will be releasing a firmware update that will solve the problem. Although the hackers have already gone on record stating this will be useless, it makes sense that Sony would want to pursue every possible option for staggering the pace of hacking on the PS3. The console has the well-earned reputation of being the most secure of the big three, and if this hack goes mainstream (which it so far has not - the hack has not yet been proven,) Sony could lose a significant amount of revenue to pirated games.

Sony is no stranger to piracy. Their PSP system has suffered greatly as a result of the rampant piracy that has plagued it for years.

Stay tuned for more updates.