PS4:FAQ

Q. What is the point of jailbreaking?

A. The intent of jailbreaking was to allow execution of homebrew software on the PS4. The right payload will allow you to:

• Install and play backups of 9.00 or lower PS4 games, as well as PS2 PKGs natively and region free.
• Emulate retro games with emulators.
• Dump/Rip PS4 games to your hard drive.
• Mod games
• Use Linux.
• Create your own custom XMB themes.
• Install homebrew games and apps.

Q. What is the status of a PS4 jailbreak?

A. 1.76, 4.05, 4.55, 5.05/5.07, 6.72, 7.02, 7.55, and 9.00 have been fully exploited and implemented. Exploits on some of these firmwares have been ported to “fill in” the gaps in releases. Most, if not all, firmwares between 4.05 and 9.00 can currently be jailbroken, the ones listed here are the “major” releases.

Q. Are developers afraid of lawsuits like ones seen in the PS3 scene?

A. They aren't “afraid”, but maybe more secretive about their work. It's extremely easy to release things anonymously via a VPN and Tor if desired. Likely, we will not see a lawsuit like what had happened with GeoHot and Graf_Chokolo.

Q. Has the PS4 really been jailbroken?

A. Yes! On December 6th, 2015, A user by the name of CTurt published information about an exploit in the 1.76 firmware kernel that allows users to break out of the FreeBSD jail that the PS4 uses to contain processes. By the end of the month, the group Fail0verflow demonstrated that they could execute code by successfully running a modified version of Linux on the system. We have since seen several full exploit releases on higher firmwares.

Q. How do I know if a console has an jailbroken/exploitable firmware version?

A. Refer to the PlayStation 4 Models page and please feel free to contribute or use PS4IDENT, a tool that aims to make identifying PS4's with vulnerable firmware easy. Please check it out, and if you find any of his tools/contributions helpful show your appreciation.

Q. How do I jailbreak my system?

A. Refer to this extensive guide by KiiWii and make sure to show your appreciation.

Q. Can I install Custom Firmware (CFW) on my console?

A. It is extremely unlikely that CFW will make an appearance on PS4 in the same way it existed on PS3. As in the past with other devices, the keys which allowed creation of CFW were either leaked (Nintendo) or improperly generated (PS3/PSP).

Q. I'm good at programming, how can I contribute?

A. If you do have the technical knowledge and a exploitable PS4, check out this page and this page to learn how to use the exploits to gain kernel-level access, then search for new ones in more recent firmware. You can find more scene-related help on the PS4 Developers Wiki. If you are looking to contribute by making homebrew, check out the open orbis project on github. You can also watch this video series which helps explain how to use open orbis.

Q. From a programming perspective, what is required to gain full system access?

A. In simple terms, you need an exploit in userland (where an application or game can execute code) and an exploit in the kernel (the core of the customized FreeBSD operating system). Userland exploits so far have all been using the PS4 web browser (WebKit), though userland could be exploited through other system apps such as a photo viewer, video viewer, or game save. Kernel exploits rely on finding a vulnerability in the operating system functions, called Syscalls, in order to allow you to execute code on the operating system level.

Q. What is the difference between Mira and hen(Goldhen)?

A. Mira and hen/Goldhen are both payloads that share the same main purpose. They modify the firmware of a ps4 to give the user more control over their console. Namely, they give the user access to debug settings, allow game backups to played, and allow homebrew to run.

Goldhen does this main task with a handful of other features. It is more lightweight than Mira and is therefore more stable on firmwares above 6.72. You can see its list of features here

Mira is an ongoing project that is supposed to be the “one stop shop” payload. It's full name is even “MiraCFW” though that causes confusion with people used to other systems' CFWs so it is usually just referred to as simply Mira. The full list of features can be found on the project Mira github. The downside to this complexity is Mira has various bugs for some people on firmwares above 6.72 and when a new firmware is exploited, Mira usually takes longer to be full functional on it.

Q. What can I do after exploiting my console?

A. Currently, you can run a few simple homebrews, basic flavors of Linux, play Steam games or emulators within Linux, enable Debug Settings on your console, browse the file system via FTP, and swap images on the XMB.

Q. Can I spoof my firmware version in order to play online with a lower firmware?

A. You can not access the PlayStation Network without being on the current firmware. You can use Linux and access Steam, that may be some consolation. In the past, PSproxy has allowed you to do this.

Q. Is [insert game title] playable on [insert your firmware] firmware?

See OldNero's PS4 Games List or this list made by kiwi/defaultdnb

Q. Can I play games that require a higher firmware version than what I have?

A. Yes, you can for instance play backups made on a 6.72 exploited system on a 5.05 by applying specific patches to the pkg files. See OldNero's PS4 Games List searching for "5.05*". You can also try this list made by kiwi/defaultdnb

Q. Is it worth it to stay on a lower firmware?

A. If you are on a non-exploited firmware and some day want to be able to run homebrew, it is recommended to stay on the lowest version possible. If you have the money to spare to buy a second console, that would be an option. If you are on an exploitable firmware it is best to stay on the lowest major release (as in 7.55, 7.02, 6.72, or 5.05) as you can. The higher you go, the harder it is to get the exploits to work.

Q. How do I update to a newer version?

Download the relevant update file here or here, copy it to a USB drive, then update your console with the downloaded .pup. For further instructions, see here.

Q. Can I downgrade my console?

A. Yes. Only under specific circumstances though. This method is commonly called a “firmware revert”. You can find information about that from this thread and this tweet. The main points are that you need to have backed up some data from your PS4 before you updated to whatever firmware you are on right now. Also this method requires some soldering skills and some extra equipment at the very least. A full explanation is a little beyond this FAQ.

Q. What is the future potential?

A. Who knows? Emulators, custom themes, better media center applications, or even a completely new XMB could be developed.

Q. How do I disable automatic updates?

A. Disabling Updates: You can disable automatic updates by navigating to Settings → System → Automatic Downloads and Uploads, and uncheck “System Software Update Files” and “Install Automatically”. It may also be a good idea to turn off Internet connection while in stand-by mode under Settings → Power Save Settings → Set Functions Available in Rest Mode and uncheck “Stay Connected to the Internet”; or just disable the Internet altogether.

Q. What other websites can I visit for PS4 information or resources?

A. Here are some sites:

• Wololo.net
• PSX-Place.com
• PlaystationHax.xyz
• SCE.Party
• PS4 Developer Wiki
• ConsoleHax.com (Dutch)
• KiiWii's AIO PS4 Exploit Guide Thread on GBATemp

Definitions

Term	Definition
Custom Firmware (CFW)	Firmware modified to add in extra features not present in original firmware (OFW).
Original Firmware (OFW)	Stock firmware released by Sony.
Kernel	The core of the operating system. Obtaining kernel-level code execution allows for great freedom and ability to run homebrew.
PKG	An installation “package” file that can be run from the XMB to install software on the PS4.
GP4	A file that is a blueprint to generate PKGs.
Signing	The process of setting a PKG file such that it appears to the PS4 as a normal, officially allowed package. All PSN games, updates, etc. are signed, and must be so for the PS4 to allow them to install.
Internet Relay Chat (IRC)	A popular form of real-time Internet text messaging (chat) or synchronous conferencing. It is mainly designed for group communication in discussion forums, called channels, but also allows one-to-one communication via private message as well as chat and data transfer (including file sharing).
Peek / Poke	Peek is the generic term for a system call that lets you read a memory address. Poke is the the term for a syscall that lets you write to any memory address. They are required for backup managers to work properly. A userspace application can use these syscalls to dump out the entire memory space of the kernel, or patch the kernel as it is running.
SEN / PSN	Sony Entertainment Network, also known as the PlayStation Network (PSN) is the online PlayStation service.
Syscall	An operating system function. There is a limited number of these which can be called from an application or game.
Userland	The security level at which games and applications run to prevent major system modification.
XMB	Xross Media Bar - Graphical Interface User designed as a cross. Used on the OS on PSX, PSP, and PS3 and other Sony Products.