Dumb Moves – Why You Shouldn’t Hack into your Sony PSP

The Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) was released in Japan in 2004 and in the United States and Canada in 2005. It’s a portable multi purpose entertainment unit. It allows consumers to play video games, engage in multiplayer gaming, watch movies and videos, listen to music, view photos, go online and download information. Much to Sony’s dismay, almost as soon as it was released hackers found ways to modify the PSP.

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On May 10, 2005, Internet websites began reporting that a Japanese hacker developed a program called RIN that let the PSP play software that was intended for the original Nintendo Game Boy system. Since then similar emulators have been developed for almost all classic systems, including Sega Genesis and Nintendo Entertainment Systems. Hackers have also developed home brew applications to be used on the PSP.

At this point hackers have been able to bypass the security of the original firmware that was installed in the original Japanese PSPs version 1.0. Originally Sony encouraged consumers to upgrade to the 1.5 version, which had more secure firmware installed. This upgrade is available by download. At one point those consumers who chose not to download the upgrade software were the only users who can still use the emulator software and other homebrew applications.

Sony further tried to encourage users to upgrade to the 1.5 version by making newly released games only playable on the 1.5 firmware. Since hackers had not yet found a way to modify the 1.5 firmware Sony hoped hacking PSPs would be on the decrease. However in June 2005 hackers found ways to penetrate the 1.5 firmware, which caused Sony to update the PSP firmware to version 2.0.

Hackers found two main ways to break into the 1.5 version. The first way was by swapping memory sticks the second was by a method called KXploit, which involved a misuse of the sprintf function of the PSP.

The release of the 2.0 version sparked a new round of hacking. A flaw was quickly discovered by hacking enthusiasts.The latest flaw was exploited by running a code on the PSP to downgrade to version 1.5 of the firmware. Since version 1.5 was more hacker-friendly, users are downgrading back to the 1.5 version so they can use the homebrew applications.

Since then Sony has engaged in a tug of war with hackers. Sony continuously creates updated versions that are supposed to be more secure, and hackers continue to find ways to modify the Sony PSP. As hackers become more saavy about their craft and more enthusiaistic about modifying the PSP it is doubtful that Sony will ever be able to truelly stop the modification of their portable PlayStation.

Sony warns that though they are not prosocuting users who are running homebrew applications on the PSP, doing so will void the warranty. This means that if a problem arises with the PSP Sony will not honor the warranty of any unit that has been modified.

Hacking into your PSP is a very risky thing to do. Keep in mind if you are not exactly sure on what to do, you risk ruining the unit. If you make a mistake and break the devise, it will be useless. As mentioned before, Sony will not honor the warranty of a PSP that has been tampered with. Therefore, the user will be stuck with the defective PSP.

Though the idea of hacking into your PSP can seem very advantageous to the user it is actually extremely dangerous for the devise. You risk making changes that are irreversable and may render the unit worthless. Sony strongly discourages any tampering with the PSP.

July 26 2010 04:19 pm | PlayStation Articles

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