The unproven PS3 rootkit

February 5th, 2011, 01:07 Posted By: wraggster

News via http://streetskaterfu.blogspot.com/2...3-rootkit.html

My colleague iQD just showed me an interesting news post @ theregister.co.uk.

Chris Boyd, a security researcher at GFI Security gave a statement about the actual rumour about a rootkit in the newest PlayStation3 system.

I agree with his view about the remote firmware updates. SONY already made clear in earlier TOS', that they have the permission to silently update consoles via background firmware updates.

There is no need for a new "hidden rootkit" for this case.

Boyd aswell added in the interview, that he is "still waiting for someone to explain how this 'PS3 rootkit' could be used to run unsigned malicious code on a non-jailbroken box,".

Um, Mr. Boyd - this was never the intention by people claiming that such a rootkit exists. It was about the scene community fearing that SONY may disable their consoles remotly. Your idea would be way to complicated, there would me much easier ways to compromise consoles.

Regarding actual jailbreaked boxes, if we take the case of SONY's Windows rootkit, you can not compare this. If someone had the intention to write evil code for the PS3 system, the right time would be now. Every little skiddy tries to create his own version of a custom firmware and naiv people just install them.

No one thinks about someone who might use this as an advantage to transfer malicious code on the units to steal personal data like credit card details or similar.

A well done CFW like the kmeaw CFW 3.55 or homebrew backup managers could silently deliver you a PS3 trojan - you won't notice as you dont expect something like this on a gaming console.

Would be funny to join some infamouse IRC chans and read a chan topic like "Wanna' buy PS3 botnet?".

So I think Boyd's statement "People will happily download homebrew from Basement Bob which could steal logins/credit card details, but code from the console maker is evil?", is partly correct.

But what's the difference between running homebrew which may be infected with evil code, and
"evil" SONY code running which you don't even know of.

Obviously - would you more likely accept your Windows machine to be killed, cuz' you surfed on infected pr0n sites OR because Microsoft didn't like the theme you have installed and playing the big brother?

- SKFU

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