PSVita debug firmware 1.69.1 has been spotted in the wild for PSVita. It contains various cool things to play with, but it also contains another layer of security Sony implemented. The PSVita Debug firmware requires a code activation every 90 days to keep your PSVita active while on debug FW, failure to do this will render your Vita unable to boot.
To quote:
Our good friends The Z and npt were at Gamescom this week, and found out that the Vita they tried had a 1.69.1 Debug firmware.
In the video below, they are showing us some of the interesting features of the Vita debug firmware.
The Debug firmware is clearly aimed at developers who work on the Vita, and offers features to efficiently test games and apps. According to the video, these features include a Package Installer (this apparently needs to run through CMA in order to copy packages), which, as the name implies, allows to install (unsigned?) packages. The firmware also apparently offers a way to download content to the console without having to go through CMA, a feature that, honestly, even retail units should be offering.
The debug firmware also lets you choose which server to download Updates from, an option to fake a 3g network from wifi (to test 3g functionality), a possibility to fake lots of parameters (such as free disk space, etc…), options to change key bindings (in particular X and O can apparently be exchanged), a feature to change your region settings, and, did I spot a way to switch user accounts easily?
For people who are eager to actually “test” this, it is interesting to note that the Vita debug firmware seems to ship with an interesting security feature: It requires to be activated with a new key every 90 days. This is probably to mitigate the impact of a potential leak of such a firmware, as Sony most likely don’t want to see a new “convert your console into a debug unit and play games for free” situation anytime soon! It is assumed that if you fail to re-activate the console within 90 days, it will refuse to boot or to run anything.
Another interesting feature of the debug firmware is the possibility to investigate the Ram in case of a crash, with the possibility to retrieve core dumps. This is clearly aimed at game developers, but it something I’m sure lots of hackers would like to see too
So, there you go. Lots of interesting features, on a firmware that, even if leaked, will most likely refuse to run on your devices. Nevertheless, cool info in my opinion
[Source]
08-17-2012
01:04 PM
08-17-2012
04:07 PM
Wouldn't suprise me if they'll add something like that to future DEX firmwares..
08-17-2012
04:49 PM
08-17-2012
05:24 PM
being sony it wouldn't surprise me if turning the date back in the system and cutting off wifi/3g would overcome this
08-17-2012
06:24 PM
08-17-2012
07:46 PM
Thanks ps3hax, I appreciate my blog being mentioned on your frontpage as much as the next guy, but I would love if you could avoid copy/pasting the entire article then say you are "quoting" me.
I'm doing my best to provide quality articles for the scene, and I'm sure you appreciate that. Imitation is the best form of flattery, but I would really appreciate, in that type of post were you basically copy/paste my entire article, if you could emphasize a bit more about the source, a bit more than a "source" link at the bottom of the article
Thanks for your understanding, and those who want those articles "fresh" from the source can follow me on twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/frwololo
No hard feelings, just trying to get credited for my articles a bit more, thanks, I'm sure you understand
08-17-2012
08:05 PM
08-17-2012
08:19 PM
08-17-2012
08:27 PM
Commonsense via Tapatalk 2
08-18-2012
07:56 AM
really???? you guys are all so worried, but did you ever consider the possibility of resetting the 90-day clock by reinstalling the firmware??
let's be realistic here...there are ways of getting around this. yes, it may be an obstacle in our path....but it will be taken down. Just look at flash count resetter for android. it's sort of the same thing...something programmed into the device's hardware is reset to 0, and stops counting...just like this would need to have done.
08-18-2012
08:23 AM
the "days left marker" may persist through a reinstall, i.e. a check at installation to see the days remaining and not reset it
once/if psvita is hacked there may be a way to remove the function but thats a while away yet
08-18-2012
09:04 AM
08-18-2012
09:46 AM
I completed Uncharted: Golden Abyss literally yesterday and I got the system imported from Japan last year as I had completely forgotten that I even had the thing lol!
Great system but a) needs games and b) needs some exploits that aren't just all about the PSP emulation side of things...then the thing will be selling much better.
Killzone looks AWESOME though:
08-18-2012
01:15 PM
08-18-2012
06:01 PM
May I nominate [MENTION=224021]DEFAULTDNB[/MENTION] to fill in my moderation duties? He's a good user and very dedicated to the site, much more than I currently am.
Also Greg, if you wanted to talk to me regarding my moderating, then you could've simply PM'd me as opposed to sounding like a teacher telling off the naughty student
08-18-2012
06:12 PM
[MENTION=1]Pirate[/MENTION] actually offered me mod status yesterday evening, and I gladly accepted.
Thank you for considering me [MENTION=118561]Persian McLovin[/MENTION], it means heaps hearing that
I'm very much looking forward to becoming a member of the PS3Hax team
08-18-2012
06:13 PM
To bypass the 90 day limit, if the Vita was jail-broken, we could have a CFW that is like Rebug. The Devs could bring just the debug settings to Vita's OFW.
08-18-2012
06:16 PM
WHOA Killzone looks sick!
08-18-2012
06:33 PM
08-18-2012
06:47 PM
08-19-2012
03:46 AM
each 90 days put a code ??? POORS DEVELOPERS !!!!!
Well it is interesting see that Sony is moving the opposite side ot the entire whole world market
WHOLE WORLD = 1) OPEN devices 2) market that offer a RANGE OF MORE APPLICATION VOIP,MAPS,CONTATCS AND MANY FREE GAMES as they can see apple store, google play store ,samsung Apps store, amazon apps store, and go on... 3) Open Offical SDK and official support (for develop what you want where you want) on your device.
SONY = 1) CLOSED DEVICE 2) PSN where you have to PAY for everythings ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IS FREE just some them ???? :D:D:D ... nothing compared to other exisisting market.... 3) NO OFFICIAL SDK FOR EVERYONE NO POSSIBLE FOR DEVELOP NOTHING 4) NO SECURITY FOR YOUR PERSONAL ON SEN SERVER SEE SEE PSN ONE YEAR AGO.
well whole world 4 - SONY = 0
PS VITA have surely a good future....:D:D:D:D:D:D.......
08-19-2012
09:52 AM
It's not like Apple iOS is open or a lot of other devices..
Oh, and what BS about security, that's something that can happen to a lot of companies (it's not like XBOX-Live hasn't been breached (yes it has) or battlenet), security is something that's so difficult..
And for a developer it isn't a problem to renew the key every 90 days..
08-19-2012
05:20 PM
I bet the 'Activation', is just for PSN access. Can't have rouge PS Vita dev units having access to debug/non-encrypted eboots or abusing the dev net.
08-20-2012
09:29 AM
What a BS, there is an official SDK which can be used for creating apps/games for the PS-vita (and the Playstation-framework).
It's not like Apple iOS is open or a lot of other devices..
Oh, and what BS about security, that's something that can happen to a lot of companies (it's not like XBOX-Live hasn't been breached (yes it has) or battlenet), security is something that's so difficult..
And for a developer it isn't a problem to renew the key every 90 days..
SuperDre.......
before to start to say that others one say BS.. like you say stay quite...
1)
the official SONY SDK for vita exist but are more than BS...
2)
where is the news that talk about hacking of apple - Microsoft -Goggle Store hacking ??????
please... if you are jhust a fan boy stay quite and not talk.