Jan 02, 2026
3 min read
A major cryptocurrency leak occurred on the PlayStation 5 on the last day of 2025. The system's ROM keys were leaked, potentially paving the way for the console to be fully unlocked.For Sony, it's a hardware nightmare without a software solution.
Sony is facing its worst nightmare: PS5's foundation has fallen, mass robbery is inevitable
On the last day of 2025, a huge crypto leak will hit the PlayStation 5. The system's ROM keys have just been leaked, potentially opening the way to fully jailbreaking the console. For Sony, it's a hardware nightmare without a software solution.
Sony PlayStation 5 (PS5) Digital Edition
Sony PlayStation 5 (PS5)
Sony Interactive Entertainment will remember New Year's Eve 2026, but not for the right reasons.2025.31.PlayStation 5 BootROM keys appeared on psdevwiki.com and various dedicated Discord servers in December.This leak exposes the cryptographic hardware buried deepest in the console's architecture that verifies the integrity of the system from the first moment of boot.
Defect etched in silicon
Unlike normal kernel exploits that Sony regularly fixes with firmware updates, this vulnerability affects the hardware root of trust.These keys are permanently registered in the APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) of every console already in production.So they cannot be undone with a simple patch.The only possible solution for the Japanese manufacturer is to develop a complete version of the hardware with new keys, judging by the already sold approximately 84 million.PS5 to theoretically avoid harm.
Not a quick hack, but fertile ground
However, let's temper the alarmism.Having these keys is not enough to turn your console into an open system overnight.As our colleagues at VideoCardz point out, "the keys themselves do not allow code execution on a commercial console."It will still be necessary to develop a complete exploit chain, bypassing kernel integrity checks and hypervisor protection.Specialists predict a delay of several months, even years, before the emergence of a massive hacker.
What you need to understand as a PS5 owner
This leak does not mean that your console can be hacked immediately.Leaked keys make it easier for developers to discover what happens next, but they still require a functional entry point.However, with the latest firmware, the possibility of jailbreaking has increased significantly.
All consoles currently on the market (which will go on sale between 2020 and 2025) have keys that are affected.Sony should issue a hardware update to fix this vulnerability on future units.For owners who want to keep their console as it is, there is an option to disable automatic updates in the system settings, although this comes with security and compatibility risks.
Warning: Unauthorized Modifications of the Console will have serious penalties.If you use custom firmware or modified files and connect to the game Station Network, Sony may detect the damage and ban your account and your console.This ban cannot be canceled.
The risks this bug poses to the ecosystem
Apart from technical reasons, this breach is of great concern to the video game industry. The story of the PlayStation 3 remains an instructive example: after its signature keys were compromised by a firmware leak, the console faced widespread hacking and widespread cheating in online games; developers lost their revenue while the online experience of legitimate playersThis scenario is also reminiscent of the Nintendo Switch, which in 2018 suffered a hardware flaw caused by the Tegra X1 chip...Fail 0 Verflow, the same group that compromised the PS3.
This kind of thing could happen again on PS5.Serious crime undermines the studio business, especially the independents whose margins are so tight.Sony probably needs to be very strict with its findings and stop the rules, while taking legal action against the distributors of these keys and the developers of the jailbreak tools.
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