Is PS3 capable of getting a virus

[mailman187666]

Since you can browse the internet and download pics and music to save to your hard drive, is it possible for a PS3 to kill itself with a virus if you download the wrong file? or is it completely different than a computer where as you don't have the same kind of programing where the virus could actually infect the system?

[GM80]

I would guess it would be theoretically possible for someone to engineer some rogue image or page that could affect the PS3 in some way when loaded in the web browser, but it's unlikely.

It's even less likely for the Xbox 360 or the Wii due to their closed online environment, where everything available to you has passed internal quality assurance.

[jajaja]

The PS3 and 360 (i think) runs some security stuff that all code must be validated before being runned in the OS, or something like that. Therefor it isnt that easy to make a virus for it, but as mentioned above, its theoretically possible, but what isnt? :)

The Wii also have direct contact to the internet with its Opera browser. Afaik it doesnt have the same security as PS3 and 360, but i doubt you will see a virus in a while, or even at all.

[c0ldb33r]

I've heard of brickers - but like was said above, you've got to purposely try to run unofficial code, which is typically difficult to do.

So, I doubt it'd ever happen without some sort of intervention on your part.

[rbudrick]

The most a virus on the Wii would do is wipe out your memory. I would bet that if you reset the system back to the factory setings, the virus would be gone (along with your saved files too, so either way you'd lose). Of course, if the firmware is on an updateable flash chip, as I believe it is, you could also get a bricker virus. You might say that there's already a crapload of viruses for the PSP doing things like this. However, they don't spread like viruses, but using wifi, it may be possible to make one that does spread to other PSPs, I suppose.

As for the signed/unsigned code problem in the other systems, if someone got a devkit, or if someone does discover a backdoor, as I believe they eventually will, I think that malicious code could be engineered quite easily.

-Rob

[ProgrammingAce]

It's possible, but not probable. The only way to infect the 360 would be through the USB port, as all of it's network communications are sent encrypted. I don't see that as a likely avenue for a accidental virus.

PS3 "could" be infected if someone finds a bug in the image processing (as they have found in the PSP) or some other problem with the browser. Issue being that the browser doesn't really have the privileges to screw with the system files. I suppose it's a bit more likely that a PS3 running linux could be infected, but you would have to specifically target a flaw in linux and compile a new exploit to run on the cell processor. Again, highly unlikely.

Wii has it both ways, the browser doesn't have privileges to screw with the system files, and it has a custom processor on top of it. There is no public compiler to write code for the Wii, so a virus is highly unlikely. Most likely way to screw with a Wii is to find an exploit in Opera and use that to attack the system, as it's already written for the processor.

In other words, it's nearly impossible for your consoles to get viruses.

[meancode]

As it stands right now, and likely forever, Linux on the PS3 does not have access to the GameOS partition. So, sure, you could hose the linux partition. But thats about it.

[c0ldb33r]

As it stands right now, and likely forever, Linux on the PS3 does not have access to the GameOS partition. So, sure, you could hose the linux partition. But thats about it.
I don't have a ps3 - what's on the linux partition? What's it used for?

[cyberfluxor]

I don't have a ps3 - what's on the linux partition? What's it used for?

LOL
Linux is an operating system that replaces the PS3s firmware. Google and Wikipedia will be your friend on that subject.

PS. don't take the laughing personally, just I've heard too much about people installing Linux on their PS3s, which is overdone and a joke in my opinion.

[Ed Oscuro]

LOL
Linux is an operating system that replaces the PS3s firmware.
Replaces? Unlikely. Extends, maybe.


just I've heard too much about people installing Linux on their PS3s, which is overdone and a joke in my opinion.
Well, Sony originally announced (June 2005) that they were selling hard drives with Linux and various programs (i.e. video editing) pre-installed. No doubt they got wiser about that. The PS3's big hamstring seems to be the low amount of RAM, really.

[jajaja]

You can run Linux on much less RAM than the PS3 has. Its all about optimizing the best way possible :) I've only seen demonstration of PS3 running Fedora Core 5 and it seemed kinda slow. I want to see it run Yellow Dog Linux instead, the official distro for PS3. I read its based of Fedora and is build for PowerPC. I wonder if they will make a distro thats based on CELL.

[Jorpho]

One of the early ways of running unsigned code on an XBox was due to a buffer overflow exploit in Nightfire, no? Plus there was the PSO exploit on the Gamecube. No doubt something along these lines will appear on the PS3 before too long.

[ProgrammingAce]

One of the early ways of running unsigned code on an XBox was due to a buffer overflow exploit in Nightfire, no? Plus there was the PSO exploit on the Gamecube. No doubt something along these lines will appear on the PS3 before too long.


There is much doubt that something such as the Xbox soft mods will ever occur on any of the "next gen" systems. Quite simply, the silicone in the system itself checks each and every operation running in memory to make sure it was approved by Sony. If a buffer overflow was found within a game, the system would simply turn off the processor, which would lock up the console and require a reboot.

Any security flaws found in this system would be quickly patched over the network. Any users not connected to the network would be updated through game discs.

The true limiting factor of PS3 linux is that there is no access to the Graphics processor. This isn't a defect of linux, but the system itself intentionally hiding the GPU.

[cyberfluxor]

Replaces? Unlikely. Extends, maybe.
Yeah, it was wrong to use firmware. I really ment to say the it simply changed the booting of the system to another operating system.


Well, Sony originally announced (June 2005) that they were selling hard drives with Linux and various programs (i.e. video editing) pre-installed. No doubt they got wiser about that. The PS3's big hamstring seems to be the low amount of RAM, really.
Just because Sony is allowing it and assisting in its user base pointing them in the right direction doesn't change the fact that I believe it's a joke. It shouldn't be considered a gaming consule period when they are treating it like it's a computer system with elite licensed games.

[Jorpho]

Any security flaws found in this system would be quickly patched over the network. Any users not connected to the network would be updated through game discs.

Eep. They're really going to distribute patches (as in bug fixes) over the network now?

[jajaja]

Eep. They're really going to distribute patches (as in bug fixes) over the network now?

Both 360 and Wii does this, you upgrade the firmware through the net.

[meancode]

YDL 5 on the PS3 runs at about the speed of the first gen G5 (with very little RAM), which is to say, not very fast. And as Sony is not allowing any linux distro, YDL or not, have access to RSX, the system is seriously hampered. No graphics acceleration in linux leaves it neutered in a sense. Why they don't at least give Terra Soft access to RSX for YDL 5, I have no idea.

Of course if the linux/homebrew community got ahold of RSX, all kinds of horrible, horrible things would happen. I mean, the sky would surely fall, or something.

PS3 linux has bigger problems right now. Sony worked with Terra Soft on YDL 5, and it can't even use the built in Wi-Fi. To get on the network in YDL, you have to use Ethernet. I just talked to Terra Soft about this, and was told "Waiting for a Sony response."