Promising PS5 console jailbreak won't work on recent firmware, as Sony combats exploits

Toward the end of October, Prolapse emerged as a promising PS5 jailbreak. The kernel exploit would have been compatible with firmware 14.00 and 14.10, making homebrew apps accessible on more consoles. Unfortunately, it now appears the solution won’t work on the PlayStation hardware.

Hopes dashed

Prolapse is a memory management exploit targeting the aio_multi_delete function. Yet its author, Jose Coixao, posted a disappointing update on social media. Earlier research on the PS4 suggested it may be an option for the current-gen system. After further testing, Coixao has determined it doesn’t cause memory corruption on the console.

The developer doubts the potential PS5 jailbreak can defeat the security protocols of firmware 14.00 and 14.10. Although several alternatives are in the works, Sony has at least temporarily gained the upper hand.

Many homebrew enthusiasts are still experimenting, but are limited to July software 13.60. Relapse, along with Byepervisor-Reborn, made it unnecessary to hunt for older systems that lacked recent updates. Since titles like GTA 6 may demand even newer software to boot, observers closely followed Prolapse.

The cat and mouse game continues

Even if Coixao had shared positive news, Sony already patched the vulnerability with version 14.20. The latest 14.22 firmware, released on November 2nd, included additional security fixes.

The Prolapse setback hasn’t stopped developers from investigating PS5 jailbreaks. Notably, Gezine reached the debug settings menu on a console running 14.10. While the kernel exploit could become a gateway to deeper system access, Gezine is reluctant to make the finding public.

The dilemma for aspiring hackers is that Sony requires installing 14.10 to log in to PSN. Otherwise, gamers can't enjoy features like online multiplayer modes and the PlayStation Store. The restrictions also apply to single-player games, with GTA 6 reportedly needing 14.22 on its release date to run.

Among other concerns, Sony is likely wary of a rising piracy threat, facilitated by jailbreaks. The Overdrive app is one of many unofficial storefronts that let users on PS5 firmware 13.60 browse and download copies of games.