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PlayStation 4 hack enables Linux on recent Sony firmware

PS4 4.01 Linux Installation / Ksploit Demo at GeekPwn 2016
A showcase event at this week’s GeekPwn conference in Shanghai suggests that Sony’s PlayStation 4 has been hacked, as a recently released video shows the console running an unsanctioned Linux build courtesy of a web browser exploit.

While details regarding the hack are not yet known, a browser-based security issue in PS4 firmware version 4.01 could potentially allow users to root the upcoming PlayStation 4 Pro console in order to run unlicensed applications and games.

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Originally seen at GeekPwn this week, the video above purports to show that Sony’s current-gen gaming console can be rooted by visiting a specific website within its built-in web browser. After confirming that the featured PlayStation 4 unit has been updated with its latest Sony-issued system software, members of the Pavilion Safety Research Lab point the console’s web browser to a site that appears to install rooting software.

The video then jump-cuts to a command line interface, which soon becomes what appears to be a fully fledged Linux installation. The pair then demonstrates the hack’s potential applications by loading up a Nintendo Entertainment System emulator and playing the original Super Mario Bros. using the PS4’s DualShock 4 controller.

Previous PlayStation 4 system hacks required firmware version 1.76, which has long been superseded by multiple downloadable updates from Sony. PS4 consoles with legacy firmware have since become rare, as new console shipments are bundled with more recent system software.

While Sony has issued updated PS4 firmware that will likely address the new exploit, Eurogamer notes that initial shipments of Sony’s upgraded PlayStation 4 Pro console are likely to include the same system software as seen in the video above, potentially allowing hackers to root the console at launch.

The PlayStation 4 has been a particular target for hackers since the unveiling of December’s fail0verflow hack, which allowed the console to boot Linux builds.

“Linux on the PS4 actually makes a lot of sense, more than it ever did on any previous game console,” fail0verflow previously stated. “It’s close enough to a PC that getting 3D acceleration working, while rather painful (as we’ve learned), seems entirely possible without undue effort (in a timeframe of months, not years), to the level needed for real indie games and even AAA titles, not just homebrew.”

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The Last of Us Part I is one of the most notable PlayStation 5 games to launch this fall. It’s also one of the year’s most controversial titles.
Despite the acclaim associated with The Last of Us series, there is heated debate surrounding the remake’s $70 price tag, which is more than the original release and The Last of Us Remastered cost at release -- even though it's lacking the multiplayer mode that came with both. This situation turned what should be a certified slam dunk for Sony into a divisive release, and Sony could fix it with one key change: making The Last of Us Part I a day-one title on PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium.
This isn’t because The Last of Us Part I isn’t worth $70. In fact, its improved visuals and the vast amount of new accessibility features clearly warrant the price tag in the eyes of some. That said, even defenders of the heightened price can recognize the controversy arising from charging more than ever for a remake of a twice-released game. The Last of Us Part I is in a rough situation, and being a PS Plus game would ease some of those concerns.
Why being on PS Plus would work
As The Last of Us is one of Sony's most popular modern franchises and has a TV show on the way, it's understandable why Sony and developer Naughty Dog eagerly want a modernized version of The Last of Us Part I on store shelves at full price. Still, those who've already bought the game twice and aren't impressed by the visual and accessibility overhaul don't seem as compelled to pick up the game for the third time. Sony would remove this significant roadblock plaguing The Last of Us Part I by putting the game on a subscription service.
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There are plenty of examples showing why this would be a wise idea. The Age of Empire series' Definitive Edition games showed how well remakes work on subscription services. Several years after their original release, many players are still actively engaged with the first three Age of Empire games. While interested players can still purchase the remakes individually, putting those games on Game Pass for PC on day one ensured that the community didn't have to pay full price for a game they were already playing daily. Instead, they could just get the remake through their subscription and continue.
The Last of Us Part I is in a similar situation, even with the multiplayer content removed. This demonstrates why a subscription service release could lessen some of the negative stigmas around the game. The successful Stray, which was included in PS Plus at launch, shows that day one PlayStation Plus games can still generate plenty of positive buzz. The game's subscription service availability ensured that the conversation stayed on the game's cute cats, not the fact that it was a $30 game that only lasted about five hours.
Sony has recognized the power PS Plus can have on embattled games before. Destruction All-Stars was originally a $70 PS5 launch title, but ultimately launched as a PlayStation Plus game that was free to subscribers. Although The Last of Us Part I seems like it’ll be a better game than Destruction All-Stars, a day one game makes even more sense on PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra now than it did on PS Plus in February 2021.

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His argument makes sense from a business standpoint, but data from Microsoft shows that people play more games (and games they might not have played initially) when they are available on a subscription service. Even if it seems unfair to judge, many people weigh the amount of new, entertaining content a game offers to its price tag. Sony's can't truly say whether The Last of Us Part I is worth $70, but it can shift the discussion in its favor with an act of goodwill.
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