Credit: Sony
Rumors suggest that PlayStation 5 ROM keys have leaked online, which could significantly simplify future hacking. These keys aren’t just software passwords, but cryptographic keys embedded in the console’s APU during production. These keys are used when the device is powered on to verify the bootloader’s authenticity via the immutable BootROM code physically embedded in the chip’s crystal.
The key problem for Sony is that the ROM keys are written directly to the console’s APU and cannot be changed with a firmware update. The company’s only option is to replace the security keys in the new PS5 revision. However, on the PS5s already sold, of which more than 84 million units, the keys cannot be replaced.
However, the presence of ROM keys in the hands of hackers does not guarantee a jailbreak in the near future. Even if the keys did end up online, experts note that the PlayStation 5 has other security systems that would need to be circumvented.
This isn’t the first such incident in the gaming industry. Previously, a cryptographic vulnerability allowed the PlayStation 3 to be hacked, allowing users to install unofficial software and pirated content. A similar hardware flaw in the Nvidia Tegra X1 chip led to the hacking of the Nintendo Switch console.