PS3 Blown open, Scene chaos, LV0 keys Leaked and Working!
Leaks, chaos and drama have been something common, and on the heels of the PsVita chaos comes the PS3s turn with both good and bad news. This event is so huge that it will completely change the PS3 hacking scene and leave Sony in the wake.
Sony will be turning in their graves today as the PS3 has been basically blown wide open thanks to other events leading up to that. In the wake of this leaves Sony in huge trouble and mostly exhausted due to the amount of progress the hacking scene has made on their devices especially with the recent Psvita PSP EMU kernel exploit. It’s been absolute chaos in the PS3 scene for the last few days and fair enough to say has been chaotic over the last few years. Ill break down what happened and what this means for the developers and users, keep reading….
Background Information
The similarity in events is extremely blatant but its started a little over two years ago when the first piracy-enabled firmware and USB dongle combo named the “PS3Jailbreak” was released. The release nuked a weakness in the PS3’s simple USB protocols. This in return created a hole allowing the OS to be patched that furthermore allowed content to run from the HDD. In the aftermath the group fail0verflow allowed people to encrypt files in a mirror system that replicated Sony s methods. Of course this lead to tons of piracy and eventually Geohot’s public release of the “metldr” root key. Sony got really mad in short and decided to bring the ban hammer down on Geohot who has yet to be heard from recently. Sony found a way to protect their system by fixing everything in the system with the 3.60 firmware update. The jailbreak was patched, the USB exploit patched and left the system somewhat secure, until now in association with the new PS3 4.30 firmware update.
So what happened?
The jerks, which is an understatement, that have been behind the PS3 dongle business will always be hated and trashed constantly and the recent stunt from the people behind the BlueDiscCFW team just put a nail in the coffin. A hacking group called “The Three Musketeers,”, in short, had the Lvl0 keys which were leaked. The Three Musketeers were not going to release the keys because of the known outcome of doing so. The Chinese hacking team “BlueDiscCFW,” somehow got a hold of the keys and planned to charge money for users who wanted the exploit. Its disgusting they would do that and The Musketeers realized this. With that in mind, The Three Musketeers tried to immediately stop BlueDiscCFW’s profiting from the LV0 exploit, The Three Musketeers released the LV0 custom firmware free to the public. The funny part is the BDCFW was taken down immedietly. The Three Musketeers released a statement on it saying
“You can be sure that if it wouldn’t have been for this leak, this key would never have seen the light of day, only the fear of our work being used by others to make money out of it has forced us to release this now.”
It was a two faced leak and is oddly similar to that Sam Jordam incident or Linux hack. They then released a full announcement and statement on the matter:
As this was a group effort, we wouldn’t normally have lost a word about it
ever, but as we’re done with PS3 now anyways, we think it doesn’t matter
anymore [http://pastie.org/4462324]. Congratulations to the guy that leaked
stuff, you, sir, are a 1337 haxx0r, jk, you’re an ***.Try this bytes…
– [erk=CA7A24EC38BDB45B98CCD7D363EA2AF0C326E65081E0630CB9AB2D215865878A]
– [riv=F9205F46F6021697E670F13DFA726212]
– [pub=A8FD6DB24532D094EFA08CB41C9A72287D905C6B27B42BE4AB925AAF4AFFF34D
41EEB54DD128700D]
– [priv=001AD976FCDE86F5B8FF3E63EF3A7F94E861975BA3]
– [ctype=33]
…and be amazed.People should know that crooked personalities are widespread in this so
called ‘scene’. Some people try to achieve something for fun together and make
the wrong decision to trust others and share their results with them, but ofc
there got to be the attention seeking fame wh*** that has to leak stuff to
feel a little bit better about him-/herself.
Now the catch is that it works like this in every ‘scene’, just that in
|others it usually doesn’t come to light.
The only sad thing is, that the others who worked on this won’t get the
attention they deserve because they probably want to remain anonymous (also
they don’t care about E-fame <3).
PS: This is neither about drama nor E-fame nor ‘OMG WE HAZ BEEN FIRST’, we
just thought you should know that we’re disappointed in certain people. You
can be sure that if it wouldn’t have been for this leak, this key would never
have seen the light of day, only the fear of our work being used by others to
make money out of it has forced us to release this now.
[-The Three Musketeers]
What does this mean?
With the release of the LV0 keys mean, eventually, having all the keys available. The LV0 is not patchable, which is to say there is nothing at all Sony can do to fix this. The final bullet in the chamber as hit Sony hard. What actions they will take are not known, but if things continue in the scene I can garuntee they will be pushing the date of the PS4 closer as new hardware is really all they can do. Sony already moved all the loaders. The only other option would be to put the loaders in bootldr, but that isn’t possible since bootldr is locked to being console specific and is impossible to update. Behind LV0 is just bootldr, which is encrypted with specific console keys. This leak will in time lead to a 4.25 CFW which can be installed on mostly any PS3 even on Slims and the recent new slim models. Keep in mind that fail0verflow released metldr private keys like I said above. Well, surprise, metldr is loaded by lv0ldr, even on 3.60+. The leak contains a private key, it’s the string after PRIV=. The greatest part is that the key isn’t tied up to a specific firmware. The problem with 3k model Playstation3 consoles is that they have a new LV0 version named lv0.2, which means new keys for the loader. What this means is that consoles which are able to downgrade to 3.55 can install 4.25 CFW even if they’re on 4.25 OFW. The bad news incorporated with this is that 3K and higher consoles’ LV0 keys are static, they are not console specific. Sony can change LV0 with a new firmware update. But, bootldr is per console and is the way of decryption for LV0. If we have bootldr then the console is wide open and a CFW could be made to work on any console. Bootldr cannot be changed or denied unless there is a hardware change. Even if we had bootldr then anyone with a downgradable console could have a CFW firmware. Whoever has bootldr and wanted to leak it would bring the greatest massacre and ban-hammer of all time by any company ever, I can garuntee whoever releases it will have no where to run or hide so it would of course need to be anonymous to highest level with no traces to be found. Bootldr is something that’s way more protected and valuable than metldr.
Closing Statement
wow! I think im getting back buying PS3 again soon! I sold my 4 years old Slim PS3 to trade for PS Vita. I miss playing PS3 games..
Thats how big its getting
good news for sony, ps3 will increase in sale just before it gets old with the upcoming release of the ps4.
I have a few questions..
First: How do I know if my console is downgradable?
Second: Am I already able to install the CFW from the latest firmware? Will I be able?
Thank you.
How to know Your console is downgradeable:
1. If at one point in its lifetime it had a 3.55 or lower firmware then it is downgradeable.
2. Look up your PS3 model on the back and look on the internetz for the answer.
I predict PS3 sales skyrocketing…
By the way, you can install content on PSVita using PS3, maybe this hack can even save the Vita
Good point. It is good strategy for more sales. In the end of PS3 life SONY lose nothing form this. They sale their already builded consoles. I think that keys are leaked by SONY but.. who knows…
This sounded awfully similar to the PSP’s Team C+D exploit aka “Pandora”… like how they were forced to release it immediately to the public…
yea but some people still bought the batery n the memory sticks since u still needed a psp with custume firmware to still make the pandora kit.. i end up having like two extra battery n the blue (pandora)battery since it made my psp have a longer batery life…
@gunblade,
You don’t necessary need cfw for the psp to create pandora kit, you just have to have a 1.50 ofw installed.
let’s not hijack this comment section and talk about the psp… 🙂
Does this mean we can pirate games on any firmware?
First ever post!!!
This should definatly open the way for many others to use emulators, homebrew and replacing faulty bluray drives.
But the thought of many using this just to pirate and play games is quite daunting which will prob mean many game developers pulling the plug on creating new games for the ps3,
Which hurts all of us in the long run.and if it leads to hacking the vita completely so early on will confide it to an early death.
Also if sony never took away OS this might not of come round!
Iam not very happy about it…….3 minutes later
Call his causin hey cause u want a Psvita right?
I change u the Psvita for the Ps3 what do u say
Causin U change me the Psvita for my Ps3 but
it wont run homebrews! yeah i know dont worry
causin iam in the latest FW is ok come and get
The Psvita tomorrow,Me buahahahaha!!!! He
Does not know the LV0 keys are out buahahaha.
Ps.just kidding gosh my Psvita is my Baby,i’ll buy
A used Ps3 the bastards are in $150 in any gaming store.
yea would be werd exchange i guess ps3 r cheap now days i have only my slim now but that things running with its case opean(took it apart didnot fully put back together, works dough) n my 80 gig still in da pawn shop but both system was like under 2hundred .. wanted to get the super slim model when possible just to try it out n see if there any new feature… think about it now i think i seen the sales for this expoit when i was look fo new mdchip like the flash.. remebering seeing a video…idk if dis is the same one but thks to the dev n devs anyway.. hopping this can help the vita sence since it seems to have help the ps3… but i was think if i do end up running cfw on my ps3 slim n have my 80 on dev n get a 60 to jus play online it allcost me as much as the ps3 wen it first came out.. ooh n i not good wit computer n probly asking a question that wont get ansered but if i had the right sythem say two 80 gig ps3 n took parts off off one could i sumhow add say the ram from one to the outher ps3. but nowing that would probly have to mod the whole board… or will it be easy to mod the board to a pc board. idk its jus sumthing i been wonting to do even since i herd dat on the ram side sony halves the 512 mb in to two n da xbox 360 jus has the 512 n i wanted fo be the one with a ps3 with like duel eithernet port a 10 disk changer n a amd grapichs card so i can play on sevral screens.
ok.. getting a new slim 12gb for christmas.. 😛
realy i wanted to get the superslim 12 gig but all they have hear for now is the bundle packs assassins creed blackops..did not see the system them selves yet at gamestop. i hope we get the 12 gb in the usa heard it was for uk or some thing idk n hope its not any different then the 500 gb models
price is very different.. 12gb go + controller here in Eu it’s for 219€, and the FIFA 13 bundle 500gb go + game + controller 319€.. ! i want it just for cfw and online gaming, vita interacting maybe, really don’t need that space in ps3, for pirate games i got x360 with xk3y 😉 and i think you could easily replace the hard disk with some other lately
This always annoys me xD
1. fail0verflow DID NOT cause piracy. The USB Dongles did that. Nobody knows where the USB exploits came from.
2. fail0verflow gave us a way to bring back Linux (OtherOS) to the PS3, WITHOUT giving a security exploit that can cause piracy.
3. GeoHot later released the metldr keys which cracked open the entire system till 3.60. GeoHot is not a part of fail0verflow.
4. Sony changed the chain of trust with the 3.60 firmware. Leaving metldr out of it and having lv0 load all the other stuff.
5. Now lv0 is cracked and the only way to solve it for Sony is to release a new hardware revision.
Sources:
1. Presentation of fail0verflow at 27C3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4loZGYqaZ7I
2. http://www.ps3devwiki.com/wiki/Boot_Order#Chain_of_trust_Diagram_3.60.2B.2B
And what about 4.30 update? Will i be able to install CFW in time, if i update my v2 SLIM to 4.30 and other ofw Sony will release further?
Muchas gracias
Arigatou gosaimasu
Gozaimasu is spelled with a Z, not a S. “Gozaimasu” is the correct spelling 🙂
ありがとうございました！
日本語は難しい ；＿；
はい、 その鳥です。 日本語は本当に素晴らしい、でも
難しいですね。
You realize that all romanization of Japanese is an approximation of the language? In other words, correcting peoples’ spelling of an approximation is not all that bright.
Maybe in some cases, but not always. The Hiragana alphabeth is set to fixed translations, that one sign mean one spelling. I’ve never seen that this could be used very flexible, as but i might be wrong.
The reason why i mentioned it is because when starting to learning japanese, one often start with a lot of Romaji. Therefor it can be important to learn the correct spelling to begin with. If you think one word is spelled a certain way in Romaji, if you try to apply/translate this to Hiragana, then you get spelling error.
In this case, if you translate “gosaimasu” to Hiragana, you get “ごさいます”. This is not the correct spelling. The correct spelling is “ございます”.
I don’t see why you think it is not to bright to point this out. Nothing negative towards Gustbran, just a tip to correct the spelling 🙂
is there allready a way to hack your ps3 and play online without buying a dongel for duoboot??(without spoofing so you wont get banned)
Yep there are ways to get on PSN, but banning im not sure about.
Good article 🙂
There is one question that i’m wondering about of all of this. Right now i know you need to be on firmware 3.55 to be able to install CFW 4.21. But is possible to modify a PS3 firmware so that it can be installed on even the newest OFW without downgrading? Like making a CFW that removes some security checks, so that the PS3 think it is a new firmware. Or do you need the new private keys to sign the CFW? That is the biggest question i’m wondering about of all this.
And about Vita hacking, i can’t see how this will change anything. From what i know, the PS just acts like a Content Manager. The Content Manager excist on PC as well, and PC is the most open platform out there. I don’t see any need to go through the PS3 first when everything can be done directly between the PC and the Vita.
You are way off, PC and PS3 CMA are different first of all. Its not just about transferring files either. There may be other secure data that the PS3 contains that could open the Vita security wise. There is also suspicion that the keys are similar too along with some other things.
Do you have any more info on this? I’d like info that its not only about transfering files on PS3.
There will be more info soon, but right now everyone’s still looking into everything 🙂
Nice 🙂 But about the other stuff, you said that he was way off and wrote it in a way that this info is already known. Can i have some source/link to this info? I’m interested in reading more about it 🙂
I dont think I did? First of all i said “nothing to confirm” in the main article. Regarding CMA its more common sense, hacking CMA wasnt ever said anywhere to begin with thats why I said you’re way off. However I stated “there may be” and “suspicion” about the part the other part. About how CMA is different, is it decrypts and runs differently.
It was said that PS3 CMA acts like the PC CMA. This means that they both serve the same purpose, file transfer only. You said he was way off on this and then you said “it is just about transferring files either”. I was looking for info to this statement 🙂
“It is not” is what i ment to say, sorry for the typo.
Yeah, i was only refering to that the PC and the PS3 CMA works in the same way, that they only do file transfers and that the Vita does the encryption/decryption for security reasons. I don’t see why different encryption would be used between the PC and PS3 CMA when the Vita is assumably doing the encryption. But if there is any sources to this saying otherwise, i’d like to read and learn more about it 🙂
Sad news for Sony. I can visualize a lot of developers walking away from Sony.
Why would they do that?
He probably doesn’t realize that this only works if you’ve got a way to downgrade to 3.55 or are still on 3.55?
That could be. But even so, piracy doesn’t necessarily becomes a huge problem, especially not this late in the PS3 life cycle 🙂
the downfall has begun!
Considering you can only install this from 3.55 or below and that the majority of people don’t have flashers to downgrade, this is the furthest thing from blown open. The PS3 is still pretty closed.
It’s gonna be blown wide open when you can install a cfw from 4.25 or 4.30.
This is why the PS3 scene SUCKS. Everyone is scared of $ony. I’M NOT! Release ANYTHING under my name and let them come after me. F! $ONY!
And the devs have all the keys but refuse to release them. They can make their own CFW but again just refuse to.
When will the PS3 scene devs GROW UP! Dont hold onto what the public want. WHY even go find that exploit or key or whatever if your never going to release it? Thats just stupid.
The sooner its released the more others can get it and use it. its NOT YOUR CONSOLE, ITS MINE, HIS, HERS, THEIRS, NOT $ONYs, NOT YOURS so if you release the keys and someone makes a CFW and that CFW gets installed on MY PS3 then thats MY choice and MY problem. If $ony want to be *** and ban my console, oh they already did. BASTARDS! They banned my console so they no longer want control over it so I can and will install whatever firmware I want on it.
They wont ban everyones console. All that will do is *** people off and they will go get Xbox360’s so Micro$oft will be really happy if $ony ban everyones console. $ony will loose customers and money. REALLY STUPID MOVE $ONY. I HAVENT brought a game since you banned my console. FU!
SO the sooner the devs grow up and release what they find the better for US, the end user. The OWNER of the console. It’s OUR console so lets do what WE want with hit.
Maybe regarding the hardware, but the software is still under copyright. If i buy a piece of software, it is not 100% mine. If it was 100% mine, it would mean that i could copy it and give it away for free to everyone online. I’m not allowed to do that even if i bought a game/program/movie.
Why did you get banned by the way?
They wont tell me why it got banned except it breeched the TOC. I did nothing but have CFW installed. I NEVER played any games online and as I was on 3.55 and there was no spoof for online and 3.60 was the current firmware I’m not sure why they banned me. I wasn’t online, I could’ve and still can flash a OFW in it which will show NO signs of customizations or homebrew so there really is no proof from them that I did breech TOC.
The closest I could think is on the forums I said there is a way to cheat OFFLINE and they didn’t like me saying that so they banned me from the forums then 2 weeks later my console got banned.
Did you buy the console, ITS YOURS. Did you buy the game, ITS YOURS.
Its the same as the fruit growers saying you are allowed to buy an apple but you arn’t allowed to make it into a pie, you can only eat it the way we say. You will be *** and make a pie anyway. Its the same for the console and the games. Its now MY console in MY house. if I want to open it up and modify it I can. If I want to backup the game and run it from USB then I can. I paid for it and I choose to do that to it and nobody can stop me. Its my house and in here I make the rules and I say we can do that.
They dont like it then they can go have a cry. $ony will be crying for the next few months from the leaked keys anyway.
I see. Yeah, if you posted on the Playstation forum with your PSN account, that counts towards the PSN rules i think. It is weird that your console got banned because of this though. I havn’t heard of anyone getting banned because of PS3 CFW, but that is interesting. I think that Sony has a way to detect CFW.
Yeah, i don’t think that anyone cares if you only modify your own stuff. The problem is more when people put this online, so it gets very widespread. But the software restrictions has always been there, not just for Sony, but for everyone else as well. Even before the Playstation excisted too.
your apple pie analogy is fallacious. it’s more like buying apples and giving poison to children. you didn’t just buy a console, you bought a user agreement. your complaints sound as if you’ve never read one. you are allowed to use the product they’ve sold so long as it is used in the way they intended. however, people consume poison regularly for enjoyment, and youth is often a perspective more so than an age. often there are tools available for us to exploit for our own gain, and often nobody will be able to stop you before you do it, but you will have to accept the consequences of your actions eventually. the majority of people are not going to stop using sony because they are held accountable for their actions. microsoft will not be able to support innovation if they don’t hold people accountable for their actions. that is the short of it. they wont care if you hack your console if it’s not in their interests’, that’s what people here look forward to. you say your house, your rules, but you are mistaken if you think you can do whatever you want and not have to accept the consequences of your actions. ask anyone in prison.
DUDE. you have been able to do this to xbox 360 nearly since it was released, and really they ban you if they catch you, end of discussion.
Just phoned my son to tell him not to update the ps3.guess what I’m the owner of a ps3 with 4.30 on it dam!
take it I’m sc***?
Yep, you’re sc*** six ways from Sunday.
Did any one else see this on bbc world news?
Wow I just saw that, that’s pretty big.
your talking about this?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20067289
or this?
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/397654/20121024/playstation-hacked-sony-ps3.htm
:p
so in this case the ps vita will be soon hocked?… nice work out there i’ll look forward for this hack…
No, again nothing is confirmed its more of a maybe.
Hi guys:)
Could anyone tell me how we I can use the latest release of the LV0 keys to be able to play PS3 games which I have on my external HDD? Thanks
Please mail me directley to my mailadress (afshin1977@live.no)
And now, Can I update my system or waiting for some news?
COOOOOOL DUDES, VERY COOL
Get a life ^^^
What does this exactly mean for us end users with a ps3 on 4.25OFW?
It’s intresting how the PS3 has been the reason for everyone be able to run homebrew on the psp, due to ppl being able to sign homebrew. i wonder if it will have the same effect on the ps vita. will the ps3 be a gateway to the vita also?
PSP was full of homebrew way before the ps3 hacks happened. CFW was easy as pie to install on a PSP. The pandora battery was the final nail in that coffin, once that got released everyone had the option of CFW.
pandora battery only worked on older psps. And yes i know homebrews where on psp before this, however i think that being able to sign ur own homebrew is a way bigger nail in the coffin then the pandora battery
Ohhhh a miracle! I am thankfull for the professionel ps3 devs! Not like the crapy psvita devs andthere Ninja releases
HEYYY, these guys work hard to give us all the opportunity to get the exploited game off psn, days b4 its publicly announced and pulled by $ony in the following 24hrs… just so we all can enjoy all our games and homebrew we have on our hacked PSPs…
Although.. i barely have even a third of the content i did on my hacked PSP, on my newest vita eCFW…..
On second thought, YEA WHAT THIS GUY SAYS, CRAPPY!
Finaly i stop pay for games on my ps3 and can get us many games i wanna ty god some one liked keys in HAPPY u made my day
ok so my ps3 is on 4.25 now, does this mean i would be able to hold off updating my ps3 and be able to install a cfw 4.25 on it? (btw i have no e3 flasher or anything of that nature)
please respond, i would like to have some cfw on my ps3, but if its not possible i might as well update my ps3 to enjoy some netfix.
Thanks.
so when can 3.56+ (4.xx) OFW users expect a CFW without having to downgrade our ps3?
From what i understand, they need to find an exploit in the new firmware. If this isn’t found, i see no way to use CFW without downgrading first or signing it with the new private keys.
Exploit? It wouldn’t require an exploit because they have access to the update files, thus they can simply decrypt the latest firmwares, edit them to include the ability to install apps from a usb and bam you’re in.
But how are they going to be installed on OFW 3.60+? Those firmware version (i’m talking about them being installed on the PS3, not the .pup file) are already protected, you need a way to modify lv0 first.
could some psvita keys be included or shared with the ps3? could be a possibility.
am on 4.25 does this mean that they are working in a cfw for 4.25
should i upate or not
Update all you like cos Sony are sc*** now.
We decrypt any firmware now because we have the access to edit them to do what we want : O)
nice article wololo, a little hard to follow for my simple mind but easier than other forum posts. keep it up
Wololo did not create this article, the writer was Jd8531.
What I don’t understand: With these keys we can decrypt LV0. Will this not give us the possibility to get all other keys, to sign homebrew and code, that this run on a normal official firmware? Why a lot of people speak about custom firmware in this case? What I hope: That these keys will not kill Sony because a lot of people will use this for playing illegal copies. I hope that these keys will open a big homebrew development like at the psp a few years ago.
No really you want official firmware to run homebrew and unofficial stuff? Would you not like a custom firmware with no cinavia protection and that would allow you to backup and play games/homebrew and apps from your external harddrive?
Simple choice! No?