Remember when you could run Linux on your PS3 before Sony patched it out? It was a cool featured, called OtherOS, but it was taken away because of Sony’s concerns for piracy and homebrew. The PS4 didn’t ship with the option to run Linux, but that hasn’t stopped hackers from attempting to get Linux up and running on the console.
Earlier this month, a hacker managed to crack the PS4 and create a jailbreak. Now, less than a month later, homebrew group failOverflow has managed to get Linux operating on the system. The implications? The PlayStation 4 could become home to homebrew games and applications, that is until Sony finds a way to shut the whole thing down like they did with the PS3.
So how does it work? Well, the details are a bit foggy right now as failOverflow have yet to disclose the exact details of the project. According to Engadget, however, the exploit works by using a Webkit bug that tricks the PlayStation 4’s browser into freeing up processes from the core of the console’s operating system.
It’s a big breakthrough for the homebrew community, but with the threat of piracy, Sony will likely do whatever it takes to prevent it from becoming widespread. This exploit itself relies on firmware on 1.76, and if you’ve been updating your console regularly, you should be on 3.11.