News: Sony Starts Banning Wave on Hackers

Sony just recently announced through the Official PlayStation Blog that it will be banning consoles with unauthorized circumvention devices (i.e. Jailbreak devices) and running pirated software, from the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services permanently. A scare tactic to threaten hackers? No. 

Sony finally dropped the "banhammer" on these hackers. Sony would first send out an automated email that warns the user to remove unauthorized circumvention device and pirated software from the system:

"A circumvention device and/or unauthorized or pirated software currently resides on your PlayStation(R)3 system. Immediately cease use and remove all circumvention devices and delete all unauthorized or pirated software from your PlayStation(R)3 system. Failure to do so will result in termination of your access to the PlayStation(R)Network and access to Qriocity(TM) services through your PlayStation(R)3 system."

If the user fails to heed this warning, another email will be sent, notifying the user that he is permanently banned from PSN:

"Notice: Access to the PlayStation(R)Network and access to Qriocity(TM) services through your PlayStation (R)3 system has been terminated permanently due to the use of unauthorized circumvention devices and unauthorized or pirated software on your PlayStation(R)3 system. This use violates the terms of both the "System Software License Agreement for the PlayStation(R)3 System" and the "Terms of Services and User Agreement" for the PlayStation(R)Network/Qriocity(TM) and its Community Code of Conduct provision."

If the user tries to log in to PSN, an error code will appear: "8002A227: You cannot use PlayStation Network with this account"

Sony's war against hackers started only this January when when iPhone jailbreaker George Hotz, with the hacking group fail0verflow, released a set of security keys that cracked the PS3 open for people to install and run unauthorized software on the system, such as pirated games. This resulted to various lawsuits, and frequent software updates on the PS3 system in an attempt to block hackers from accessing the online features of the PS3, as these devices were only compatible to a certain version of the firmware.



News from gamespot.com