Incident: Sony PlayStation 3 Security Breach by Hackers.

Published Date: 2012-10-24

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident of hackers breaking down Sony's PlayStation 3 software security happened on October 24, 2012, as reported in Article #15147.
System 1. Sony's PlayStation 3 software security [15147]
Responsible Organization 1. The group called "The Three Musketeers" was responsible for causing the software failure incident by releasing the secret LV0 codes that could decrypt the PlayStation 3's security layer [Article 15147].
Impacted Organization 1. Sony's PlayStation 3 software security was impacted by the software failure incident [15147].
Software Causes 1. Hackers exploited a vulnerability in Sony's PlayStation 3 software security by releasing LV0 codes that could decrypt the Level 0 security layer, allowing for the running of custom firmware, pirated games, and homebrew software [15147].
Non-software Causes 1. The group responsible for releasing the PS3 LV0 codes to the public did so because a rival group had supposedly stolen the information and planned to sell custom firmware based on it for profit [15147].
Impacts 1. The software failure incident allowed hackers to decrypt the PlayStation 3's Level 0 security layer, enabling the running of custom firmware, pirated games, and homebrew software indefinitely [15147]. 2. The incident compromised the security of the PlayStation 3 system, making all future firmwares and games decryptable, posing a significant challenge for Sony to address [15147]. 3. The release of the LV0 codes to the public was a response to a rival group's alleged theft of the information, leading to concerns about the misuse of the exploit for financial gain [15147].
Preventions 1. Implementing stronger encryption and security measures in the PlayStation 3 software to make it more difficult for hackers to break through the defensive walls [15147]. 2. Conducting regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities in the software before they can be exploited by hackers [15147]. 3. Enhancing monitoring and detection systems to quickly identify any unauthorized access or suspicious activities within the software system [15147].
Fixes 1. Sony could release a patch or update to fix the vulnerability in the PlayStation 3's Level 0 security layer that was exploited by the hackers [15147].
References 1. The Three Musketeers group 2. Marcan 3. Slashdot thread 4. Wololo forums 5. CNET

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident related to the hack of Sony's PlayStation 3 security can be considered as having happened again within the same organization. The article mentions that a group called "The Three Musketeers" released LV0 codes that could decrypt the PlayStation 3's security layer, allowing for custom firmware to run pirated games and homebrew software [Article 15147]. (b) The incident can also be seen as having happened at multiple organizations indirectly. The article mentions that the group released the LV0 codes because they feared a rival group had stolen the information and planned to sell custom firmware based on it for profit. This indicates that there are multiple groups or entities involved in the hacking and exploitation of software vulnerabilities, which could extend to other organizations beyond Sony [Article 15147].
Phase (Design/Operation) design (a) The software failure incident in Article #15147 can be attributed to the design phase. Hackers were able to break down the PlayStation 3's Level 0 (LV0) security layer, which is a fundamental part of the system's design, allowing them to run custom firmware and pirated games indefinitely. The exploit was made possible by the release of secret LV0 codes by a group called "The Three Musketeers," indicating a vulnerability in the system's design that could not be easily mitigated by Sony through system updates [15147]. (b) The software failure incident in Article #15147 does not directly point to failure in the operation phase. The exploit was more related to a design flaw in the system's security rather than misuse or operational errors.
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident in this case is primarily due to factors originating from within the system. Hackers were able to break down the PlayStation 3's Level 0 security layer by releasing secret LV0 codes, allowing for the decryption of future firmwares and games on the console [Article 15147]. This internal vulnerability within the system led to the breach and subsequent potential for running pirated games and custom firmware.
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident in this case is primarily attributed to non-human actions, specifically the hacking and release of LV0 codes by the group "The Three Musketeers" [15147]. This non-human action led to the breakdown of Sony's PlayStation 3 software security, allowing for the running of custom firmware, pirated games, and homebrew software on the console. (b) Additionally, human actions played a role in this software failure incident as the group responsible for releasing the LV0 codes mentioned that they did so because a rival group had allegedly stolen the information and planned to profit from it by selling custom firmware based on it [15147]. This human action of leaking the codes was driven by the fear of their work being exploited for financial gain by others.
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware, software (a) The software failure incident related to hardware: - The software failure incident reported in the article is primarily due to a breach in the PlayStation 3's software security caused by hackers who released LV0 codes that can decrypt the console's Level 0 security layer used by the primary boot loader [15147]. (b) The software failure incident related to software: - The software failure incident is also attributed to software factors, specifically the exploit of the PlayStation 3's software security through the release of custom firmware by hackers, allowing users to run pirated games and homebrew software [15147].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The software failure incident in this case is malicious. The hackers, known as "The Three Musketeers," intentionally released secret LV0 codes that could decrypt the PlayStation 3's security layer, allowing users to run custom firmware, pirated games, and homebrew software [Article 15147]. The group mentioned that they only released the codes because a rival group had allegedly stolen the information and planned to profit from it, indicating a malicious intent behind the software exploit.
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) unknown (a) The intent of the software failure incident related to poor_decisions: The software failure incident in this case was not due to poor decisions but rather a deliberate act by a group of hackers known as "The Three Musketeers." They intentionally released secret LV0 codes that could decrypt the PlayStation 3's security layer, allowing for the running of custom firmware, pirated games, and homebrew software [15147]. (b) The intent of the software failure incident related to accidental_decisions: The software failure incident was not accidental but rather a planned action by the group of hackers who released the LV0 codes. It was mentioned that the group decided to make the codes public because they feared another group had stolen the information and planned to profit from it by selling custom firmware based on it [15147].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence (a) The software failure incident in Article 15147 can be attributed to development incompetence. The group "The Three Musketeers" released the secret LV0 codes due to fear that a rival group had stolen the information and planned to profit from it. The Musketeers mentioned in a note that the key would never have been released if not for the leak and the fear of their work being used for monetary gain [15147]. This indicates a lack of professional competence in handling the security of the PlayStation 3 software, leading to the breach and subsequent release of critical security information.
Duration permanent (a) The software failure incident described in the article is more aligned with a permanent failure. The hackers were able to break down the PlayStation 3's security layer and release LV0 codes that can decrypt the system's security, ensuring that custom firmware can be run indefinitely, allowing for the playing of pirated games and homebrew software [15147]. The group responsible for the release mentioned that all future firmwares and games are decryptable, indicating a long-term impact on the security of the system [15147].
Behaviour value, other (a) crash: The incident described in the article does not involve a crash where the system loses state and fails to perform any of its intended functions. (b) omission: The software failure incident is not related to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). (c) timing: The software failure incident is not about the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. (d) value: The software failure incident is related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. Hackers were able to break down the PlayStation 3's security, allowing users to run homebrew software and pirated games [Article 15147]. (e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not involve the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. (f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident is related to a security breach where hackers were able to decrypt the PlayStation 3's security layer, enabling the running of unauthorized software and games [Article 15147].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception None None
Communication None None
Application None None

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence theoretical_consequence (a) death: People lost their lives due to the software failure (b) harm: People were physically harmed due to the software failure (c) basic: People's access to food or shelter was impacted because of the software failure (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure (e) delay: People had to postpone an activity due to the software failure (f) non-human: Non-human entities were impacted due to the software failure (g) no_consequence: There were no real observed consequences of the software failure (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed of the software failure that did not occur (i) other: Was there consequence(s) of the software failure not described in the (a to h) options? What is the other consequence(s)? The articles do not mention any direct consequences such as death, harm, basic needs impact, property loss, or delays caused by the software failure incident. The main consequence discussed is related to the potential impact on Sony's PlayStation 3 security and the ability for hackers to run custom firmware and pirated games [15147].
Domain entertainment (a) The failed system in this incident was related to the entertainment industry. The software failure incident involved hackers breaking down the PlayStation 3's software security, allowing users to run homebrew software and pirated games [Article 15147]. This directly impacts the gaming experience and content distribution within the entertainment sector.

Sources

Back to List