The latest firmware update for PlayStation 5, version 14.20, is here, and, according to one prolific hacker, it’s fixed a pretty huge exploit that would have enabled users to natively run pirated games. And weirdly, PS5 homebrew enthusiasts are actually thrilled with this news, because it means that said exploit can be released.
Over on the r/PS5_Jailbreak subreddit, users are celebrating the news of firmware update 14.20. Now, before we get into why an exploit being patched is good for the PS5 homebrew scene, let’s explain the exploit itself. Hacker Ark Sama has been teasing this exploit for close to a year now, as it will allow users to natively run “fake” PKG files on their PS5s.
This is a big deal because the way you’d usually trick a PS5 into running an unauthorized PKG file requires a lot of workarounds, and said workarounds result in less-than-ideal performance. The short version is that fake PKGs (which include pirated games) will now run better on PS5s. If you want the long explanation, Modded Hardware’s video below does a great job of explaining why Ark Sama’s exploit will be huge once released.
As for why it being patched is news worth celebrating, that’s simultaneously complicated and simple to explain: now that 14.20 has patched Ark Sama’s exploit, it can finally be released.
Ark Sama has stated several times that the exploit would only be released once Sony had patched it. This is because Ark Sama reported the exploit through HackerOne, the platform that Sony (and many other tech companies) use to pay people for reported vulnerabilities.
While it might sound like Ark Sama is just waiting for a payday before they screw over Sony and release the exploit anyway, the truth is that this is actually part of HackerOne’s pre-agreed “Vulnerability Disclosure Standards.” As part of HackerOne’s “Mutual Agreement” disclosure settings, vulnerabilities can legally be made public after they’ve been fixed.
Basically, that means anyone who hasn’t updated to firmware 14.20 will be able to take advantage of Ark Sama’s exploit once released, and Ark Sama will also get paid. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.