PS3 Is it safe to use a personal computer?

[pianohombre]

After finally hacking my ps3 after some reluctance I have been wondering about how safe it is to use a Windows or Apple computer. I'm surprised they don't go through every file and look for mp3/mpg and try to report it to someone. We all know half these applications have added on functions to basically sends anonymous data to advertisers, which slows down PC use in general. Also, it's well known even social networking sites like Facebook report some things to policing organizations like the FBI or the CIA so if you do a bunch of dumb stuff you can get arrested.

I was recently reading that most Internet browsers have the exact same location for files that store your passwords so criminals can get to them easily. Yes, they are still encrypted, but that's just one less step and if viruses are on your computer they may have a keylogger running somewhere in the background.

I've installed Linux OS in the past, because of my career as a computer programmer, but for everyday use I'd say it's pretty inconvenient and most people are making it easier for Apple/Windows and not Linux users. I don't really want to sound like I'm off the rails. I know I've heard people screaming the government monitors your cookies and they sound crazy, but obviously to a certain extent there is some gray area there where they are making money off everyone that we never see.

I mean I can't play multiplayer PS3 games on CFW without risking Sony formatting my hard drive why shouldn't I worry if Apple or Windows will do the same?

 

[Encrypt3d_J4y]

You cannot connect to PSN while using CFW without the risk of Sony banning your Playstation account or banning your PS3 from connecting to PSN. You have the ability to minimize the risk by disabling syscalls and enabling PSN protection, but the risk is always there.

As far as I understand, Sony cannot remotely format your PS3 hard drive. I can't 100% rule out the possibility, but I would like to, since it is something that I never heard of before.

It is safe to use your computers while owning a jailbroken PS3.

 

[GuilloteTesla]

Sony can not format a PS3 HDD remotely, the PS3 doesn't have that "feature" implemented.

In the case of a ban, Sony can and will do it if they interpret a breach in the ToS. It can be for various reasons: cheating online, harassing, bad language, making fraud, among many more.

If that happens, the PSN account and/or the console can get banned, but that's it. The content in the PS3 will remain intact, maybe some game licensees will be revoked in case of a PSN account ban, but the rest will be left untouch.

There is, however, a chance that Sony be malicious and sends to install a custom package that corrupts the HDD, forcing the user to format and reinstall everything. This is very unlikely as the PS3 is dead and Sony doesn't care at all, they didn't do this extreme actions in the past.

But bear in mind that all the user's actions on a console are stored and send to Sony: https://wololo.net/2022/11/03/the-a...ps-about-your-playstation-activity-is-insane/

 

[pianohombre]

I wrote this thread very quickly, didn't think a big deal when I put "format hdd". I meant they delete all the games you bought from the ps3 store. I'm sure plenty of people are old enough to have bough many games that went on sale. I'm not sure of the process since I'm new to the scene, have been careful myself, and haven't even used the Internet since hacking it, but from my understanding they basically yeah ban your PSN account so I guess none of the licenses will work, and typically games check every once in awhile. I guess with tools like Aldo's save tools, or other ways to get around sony activation it wouldn't be much of an issue on cfw, but it's probably a headache to deal with another day. Everything works fine now why screw it up and make it more difficult than it needs to be. That's my motto

 

[GuilloteTesla]

Some licences expire and require a check from time to time, in order to extend its validation. But some don't, and if your account happens to get banned, you still can run your games as long as you don't login to PSN nor delete the act.dat file.

That's the theory, at least...

 

[Berion]

I have been wondering about how safe it is to use a Windows or Apple computer.

Not safe at all, no privacy on those platforms. Windows and macOS are spyware. All meta data send to MS or Apple isn't anonymous...

I was recently reading that most Internet browsers have the exact same location for files that store your passwords so criminals can get to them easily.

Not true...
And easily if You are vulnerable for social technics.

Yes, they are still encrypted

Firefox not encrypting keys.db and in Chrome-based browsers it is, based on some hw fingerprinting but I'm not familiar with it.

but that's just one less step and if viruses are on your computer they may have a keylogger running somewhere in the background.

Viruses died many many years ago. Today, evil writing only ransomware/cryptware because only those brings money.

I've installed Linux OS in the past, because of my career as a computer programmer, but for everyday use I'd say it's pretty inconvenient

I've migrated with private stuff and as main OS from Windows 7 (because my computer died and newer chipsets demands drivers only for Windows 10/11) to Mint and I'm more than satisfied. Every time I must switch to 11 (because of i.e Photoshop, IsoBuster etc.) it makes me sick. Performance slowdowns, UI solutions which slowing down me, forced updates, changing settings without my permission and knowledge etc. I hate it with all my heart. There are plenty of Linux flavors, and I'm agree that most are unusable.

I can't play multiplayer PS3 games on CFW without risking Sony formatting my hard drive why shouldn't I worry if Apple or Windows will do the same?

Sony cannot do that for technical reasons... MS and Apple cannot do that for legal reasons. You are safe in that manner. :P

II meant they delete all the games you bought from the ps3 store.

No, they cannot do that for legal and technical reasons.

from my understanding they basically yeah ban your PSN account so I guess none of the licenses will work

Not true. All will work as usual. It is how MS doing it on Xbox 360 (XBO and XS wasn't ever hacked, so MS have never occasion to ban and revoke keys).

and typically games check every once in awhile.

Game don't checking licenses, it is CellOS which does during game boot, or been politely asking by game in case of DLCs. CellOS does not periodically checking licenses. It is PS4 which doing it, well, that's a rumor at least because I have Slim stuck in 8.03 and all digital games still working.

I guess with tools like Aldo's save tools, or other ways to get around sony activation

For exporting licenses into none tied to this PS3 and account form, is Apollo. Also for activating console offline, including custom NP Account ID, and save resigning if You have some save from another user or console.

 

[pianohombre]

Some licences expire and require a check from time to time, in order to extend its validation. But some don't, and if your account happens to get banned, you still can run your games as long as you don't login to PSN nor delete the act.dat file.

Do you know if I upgrade my hdd and basically get a 500gb/1tb recommended hdd instead of the tiny 120gb stock one will I be forced to re-sign into PSN and active my "new" ps3 after using the backup utility? Or because it's the same PS3 that stuff is connected to the hardware somehow so that check will be safe, and stored. Basically I'd keep the same ps3 just replace the current hard drive with a larger one.

I have been asked actually several times in the past to basically re-connect to the Internet to show proof of system activation when my CMOS battery died and needed replacing. They needed to communicate with the servers.

I have a hacked Nintendo Wii U and there is almost no checks when it comes to online multiplayer. There's only a couple popular online multiplayer games and you can even run a pirated version of Mario Kart 8 safely, since the Wii U was a flop they didn't really create all these crazy updates like Sony did. And most of their servers are offline now, but in April they will shut off the remaining servers except to allow people to re-download previously purchased content so everyone will have to use custom servers to play online multiplayer games [on Nintendo]. You can even run most Wii, portable DS games without issues, and even running Gamecube games at full-speed there's support for like 99% of games, despite the actual Wii U being unable to read the funky GC disks.

 

[GuilloteTesla]

Do you know if I upgrade my hdd and basically get a 500gb/1tb recommended hdd instead of the tiny 120gb stock one will I be forced to re-sign into PSN and active my "new" ps3 after using the backup utility? Or because it's the same PS3 that stuff is connected to the hardware somehow so that check will be safe, and stored. Basically I'd keep the same ps3 just replace the current hard drive with a larger one.

This is the only way to maintain your licences and act.dat files intact: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/ultimate-userdata-backup-guide.29037/

I have been asked actually several times in the past to basically re-connect to the Internet to show proof of system activation when my CMOS battery died and needed replacing. They needed to communicate with the servers.

If your CMOS battery dies, then you will need to re-sync your PS3's internal clock with PSN, in order to maintain active the time-limited licences.