Sony Sues PS3 Hackers

Sony has raised a lawsuit and responded directly to hackers who have dismantled PS3 software security.

The group of hackers, members of the group fail0verflow, have been issued with a lawsuit accusing them of undermining the system's "effective technological protection measures", making them knowingly more susceptible to piracy.

Sony claims the defendants, over 100 named in the suit, violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Copyright Act and related state and common laws covered by the California Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act; all published by group member George Hotz who has published the legal documents on his website.

Sony will also try to implement a Temporary Restraining Order, Order to Show Cause and Order to Impoundment against the group, stating that the group's refusal to hand in any compromised hardware or software will lead to "irreparable harm".

These orders would also prevent the group from spreading the technology online and accessing the PS3 to obtain more code or information from the device.

Despite the lawsuits, the group has shown that the PS3 can be easily compromised. What effect this will have on the wider piracy community is yet to be seen, however Sony has shown it's not afraid to take full advantage of the law when it needs to.