PS4 Hackers Say Firmware 5.0 Exploit Can Play Pirated Games

PS4 hacking hasn’t really existed beyond limited exploits in the ancient 1.76 firmware, but a new video by scene member flat_z offers hope for a 4.55 exploit. In light of that reveal, fellow developer Qwertyoruiop claims the flaw in question could exist in Sony’s most recent version, firmware 5.0.

While the creator of the video stops short of releasing the required files to the public, the source clip does a pretty solid job of demonstrating how the flaw works. Similar to the 1.76 exploit, this security loophole appears to take advantage of bugs in the PS4’s mostly ignored web browser. Triggering a crash in the browser somehow offers access to specific developer features of the firmware. Separate packages for a “hello world” homebrew and a retail copy of The Last Guardian are installed and booted without a hitch.

In layman’s terms, the hack shown in the video looks capable of allowing access to home-made software as well as pirated versions of PS4 games that can currently be purchased on store shelves. It’s a monumental development for those who don’t mind stealing their games to get them for free.

In a lengthy interview on a Russian-language site supporting the video, flat_z also offered some specifics as to how the exploit would work in a public scenario. The WebKit crash apparently has to be run every time the system boots, but once that’s done, applications like the “hello world” will launch instantly. Before retail games can be played they have to be manually repackaged with specific PSN keys. The developer says an app has already been made to take care of that process. Unlike piracy solutions found on PS3, however, the PS4 doesn’t need a separate program installed on the console to boot retail software.

That being said, flat_z wasn’t especially optimistic when asked if the work shown here will go public. “It all depends on people who have exploits, although recently interest in hacking PS4 on the stage has fallen,” the coder said. It’s also worth noting this video features 4.55 firmware and most active users have likely upgraded to 5.0 by now.

These developments apparently made it difficult for respected coder Qwertyoruiop to stay quiet. Mere hours later, the hacker tweeted an image of what appears to be a WebKit exploit running on PS4 firmware 5.0, implying that flat_z’s revealed method is apparently still active in the latest system software.

Does that mean a jailbreak will be released soon? Not necessarily. The PS4 hacking scene in particular seems to be quite coy when it comes to letting the public test new findings. In fact, Qwertyoruiop mentioned having a fully functional PS4 exploit six months ago that never reached a wider audience.

There may be other factors in play which explain why a wider release has never occurred. As sole owners of hidden secrets, these developers may like having access to something others don't. There’s also a distinct possibility they could be working in a “white hat” capacity to help Sony better secure its popular console. If these findings were made public, it’d open the floodgates to something that would be damaging to both developers and the hardware maker.

What do you think of this recent spike in PS4 hacking news? Will we ever see a real PS4 jailbreak? Tell us in the comments section!