3w ago - Today French PlayStation 3 developer sazerty and tester hijam via ps3gunz have made available PSN Tool v1.0 and PSN Tool Creator v1.0 to combat PSN bans alongside multiMAN Base CEX Stealth XMB 30/04/00 by Hijam and multiMAN Base CEX Stealth SingStar 04.40.00 by Arch with details below.

Download: PSN Tool v1.0 (Password: ps3gunz) / PSN Tool v1.0 (Mirror) / PSN Tool Creator v1.0 (Password: sazerty) / PSN Tool Creator v1.0 by SAZERTY (Mirror) / PSN Tool v1.0 & PSN Tool Creator v1.0 (Mirror) / PSN Tool v1.0 & PSN Tool Creator v1.0 (Mirror #2) / multiMAN Base CEX Stealth XMB 30/04/00 by Hijam / multiMAN Base CEX Stealth SingStar 04.40.00 by Arch / PSN Tool File Pack Mirror (Contains...

122w ago - Yesterday Sony addressed PS3 circumvention devices, piracy and PSN bans and today PS3 hackers SKFU among others via ArsTechnica have reported on potential security risks for PlayStation Network users.

To quote: While I read about the big ban tsunami and interesting papers like PSN.PDF (Mirror). I gone through a funny theory, I won't publish any details tho:

1) The bans are based on the users' account and console ID's.

2) We can modify all traffic sent and received by the PlayStation 3

What if some skiddies start to modify their sent traffic to appear as another user and use backups?

The PSN servers would recognize the TOS violation and check the online user database for known connections based on the ID's. The user and his consoles who really owns the ID's would be banned.

Even a simple Windows application which goes through ALL ID's may be possible. 24 hours and any console worldwide would be...

122w ago - Update: As expected, countless users in our PS3 Forums have confirmed receiving e-mail notices from Sony followed by their PlayStation 3 consoles being banned.

According to Mathieulh if you get error 0x8002A227 Sony banned your PS3 from the PSN.

Today Social Media Manager Jeff Rubenstein has posted the following statement from Sony Computer Entertainment on PS3 circumvention devices, piracy and PSN bans:

Notice: Unauthorized circumvention devices for the PlayStation 3 system have been recently released by hackers. These devices permit the use of unauthorized or pirated software.

Use of such devices or software violates the terms of the "System Software License Agreement for the PlayStation 3 System" and the "Terms of Services and User Agreement" for the PlayStation Network/Qriocity and its Community Code of Conduct provisions.

Violation of the System Software Licence Agreement for the PlayStation 3 System invalidates...

125w ago - Previously the possibility of PSN bans was rumored for PlayStation 3 hackers, and today Ripten.com (linked above) has confirmed that CoD: Black Ops PS3 hackers are now being hit with the PS3 Firmware 3.56 ban hammer.

To quote: Explained by Sony as a "security update" its effects are being felt by accused modders/hackers. CoD: BlOps hackers are getting hit hardest with a permanent console ban - many of whom have expressed their "innocence" on the official PS3 CoD: Black Ops Forums.

It's not limited to a few. There are dozens of threads about this topic. Here are just a few of their posts:

CaStR0_21: How long am I banned for? "This console has been permanently banned from the Black Ops servers....." Does this mean forever? Or will I be unbanned after awhile?

IssY_I : When i want to play black ops it says my console is banned permanently???i have payed 150$ for the Ps3 (i bought it yesterday (used) and just came home with a new copy...

127w ago - Today JoyStiq (linked above) speculates that based on both a NeoGAF Tip by Mr_Brit and a Digital Foundry report Sony may be planning to remotely disable JailBroken PS3 consoles essentially banning them from PSN.

To quote: "Even if you've never signed up for a PSN account, your console will communicate with Sony servers every time it boots up.

That initial load process is used to upload error logs, download updates to the "What's New" module, and a list of recently-run applications, including any unauthorized backup manager software.

Sony has yet to ban any consoles for taking advantage of the jailbreak, but the terms and conditions of the PlayStation Network make it clear that Sony has the authority to carry them out.

Thanks to the system's constant self-reporting feature, "the company even has the means to irrevocably disable your console should it so wish," rendering affected PS3 consoles unusable, online and off. But will Sony ever use such a drastic measure? And if so, how will the hacker...