OrbisOS: PS4 OS is a FreeBSD

[m0skit0]

Second generation PS4 development kit is running a customized FreeBSD 9.4.





Does this mean Sony will bring back the OtherOS feature? Will this allow a faster hacking of the console?

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[fate6]

Does this mean Sony will bring back the OtherOS feature?

not even the slightest chance...

Will this allow a faster hacking of the console

I highly doubt it
just take a look at the Vita its pretty darn secure and I assume the PS4 is all that plus more

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[Xian Nox]

Correct me if I'm wrong.
- GRUB2 is open-source. Sony have to publish any modifications they make to it.
- GRUB2 is written on the hard drive (traditionally, at least).
- PS4 can have its hard drive replaced.
Best case scenario, you can take out the hdd and install any OS you wish on it, and configure grub2 to load it.
Probable case scenario, the entire hdd including grub is encrypted/signed, so you can't really do that.
Worst case scenario, the bootloader and firmware are written on a different partition which cannot be removed from the console.

Regardless, I'm not surprised they're using a *BSD as a base for their firmware, as they did that with the Vita. Will they bring back OtherOS? I highly doubt it. Will it allow faster hacking? Probably. I expect all the ps3 piracy stick companies to jump right up to the ps4, lift a ps4 repair stick or something, reverse it and start mass-producing their dongles.

[pspfanMOHH]

They probably has reasons, there is a chance that it looks like OS but its running updates and etc. and you can't control while that happens, and when it boots up you can't probably access settings that can access the kernel. Proof so far is the vita.

If you didn't understand read Xian's last paragraph in his post.

(Off topic: Xian you great ninja)

[PCMGR]

Regardless, I'm not surprised they're using a *BSD as a base for their firmware, as they did that with the Vita. Will they bring back OtherOS? I highly doubt it. Will it allow faster hacking? Probably. I expect all the ps3 piracy stick companies to jump right up to the ps4, lift a ps4 repair stick or something, reverse it and start mass-producing their dongles.

If someone somehow dumps this firmware,could the OS be installed on a generic computer?

[Xian Nox]

Regardless, I'm not surprised they're using a *BSD as a base for their firmware, as they did that with the Vita. Will they bring back OtherOS? I highly doubt it. Will it allow faster hacking? Probably. I expect all the ps3 piracy stick companies to jump right up to the ps4, lift a ps4 repair stick or something, reverse it and start mass-producing their dongles.

If someone somehow dumps this firmware,could the OS be installed on a generic computer?

Hmm, they'll most likely remove any unnecessary drivers. If those are re-added, why not?

[PCMGR]

Regardless, I'm not surprised they're using a *BSD as a base for their firmware, as they did that with the Vita. Will they bring back OtherOS? I highly doubt it. Will it allow faster hacking? Probably. I expect all the ps3 piracy stick companies to jump right up to the ps4, lift a ps4 repair stick or something, reverse it and start mass-producing their dongles.

If someone somehow dumps this firmware,could the OS be installed on a generic computer?

Hmm, they'll most likely remove any unnecessary drivers. If those are re-added, why not?

Should that happen,would it be possible to read ps4 games on said generic computer?
Ah I think I might getting way ahead with this,considering it is pure theorycrafting.

[Xian Nox]

If someone somehow dumps this firmware,could the OS be installed on a generic computer?

Hmm, they'll most likely remove any unnecessary drivers. If those are re-added, why not?

Should that happen,would it be possible to read ps4 games on said generic computer?
Ah I think I might getting way ahead with this,considering it is pure theorycrafting.

The PS4 is a glorified PC. The Xbox one is a glorified PC. Both systems are made of the exact same things any other PC can be made of and run a modified version of a PC OS. So, yes. It should be possible to run the OS provided that it has drivers for your hardware, and any relevant security mechanisms are bypassed.
My statement is of course nothing but a theory. I have no idea how hard it would be to read the OS, or where it's stored at all. My guess would be there's an SSD of some sort that cannot be removed and is only used for the OS and bootloader. But still, if it's running FreeBSD on x86_64, it shouldn't be impossible.

Edit: Before you take my post out of context, read and look for the context.

[Acid_Snake]

I highly doubt this will be on the console itself, it's probably just for devkits

[PCMGR]

I highly doubt this will be on the console itself, it's probably just for devkits

If you can modify it somehow,doesn't matter.