PS3 hacker joins Google to work on security project

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The hacker who became notorious for breaking open the PS3's anti-piracy measures has been hired by Google to work on its latest security project.

George Hotz, better known by his online alias GeoHot, is joining the technology firm's Project Zero initiative, which is designed to prevent computer users from being spied on via bugs in software.

"You should be able to use the web without fear that a criminal or state-sponsored actor is exploiting software bugs to infect your computer, steal secrets or monitor your communications," Google researcher Chris Evans said on the Project Zero blog.

"Yet in sophisticated attacks, we see the use of 'zero-day' vulnerabilities to target, for example, human rights activists or to conduct industrial espionage. This needs to stop. We think more can be done to tackle this problem."

Hotz will join a team dedicated to "improving the security of any software depended upon by large numbers of people, paying careful attention to the techniques, targets and motivations of attackers".

Project Zero will locate vulnerabilities in software and report bugs to the software developers. "Once the bug report becomes public (typically once a patch is available), you'll be able to monitor vendor time-to-fix performance, see any discussion about exploitability, and view historical exploits and crash traces," Evans explains.

Hotz gained notoriety in January 2011 after he decrypted the PS3 'root key' and posted it onto the internet for everyone to work with. Sony took Hotz to court and the case was settled in April 2011, with Hotz agreeing to a permanent injunction preventing him from hacking any Sony products again.

Posted:
Related Forum: PlayStation Forum

Source: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/471622/ps3-hacker-joins-google-to-work-on-security-project/

Comments

"PS3 hacker joins Google to work on security project" :: Login/Create an Account :: 56 comments

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MusketPosted:

They say hacking is bad. Google threw a good ball with this one ;)

ThoseSlowKidsPosted:

He's not just a ps3 hacker you guys. He knows a lot of shit. I think he's really gonna help to make it better. GeoHot is really smart.

nhannon9Posted:

Hollywood_Undead If a hacker can find an exploit, than he can have a way to patch it up.

Example:
The people who made Xbox Live Stealth did not release source code to public because with the source code MS can patch the exploit.


That, and they really like rolling in their money.

DusknoirPosted:

That's a rather smart move on googles end.

BorutoPosted:

Well played Google, well played...

rkidxPosted:

He's going to be minted soon, he was proberly a cheap little kiddo before.
Give it a few years once the Security software is made, hes going to be close to a millionaire

CyimkingPosted:

Teezla Sounds stupid having a "hacker" to help Google with security.



I know it isn't stupid, its clever!


Every company does this. If you hack the government, I guarantee that they will not throw you in jail but rather hire you and pay you handsomely. I'm just surprise that sony didn't hire him.

XBL-ABPosted:

If a hacker can find an exploit, than he can have a way to patch it up.

Example:
The people who made Xbox Live Stealth did not release source code to public because with the source code MS can patch the exploit.

AE86Posted:

Gossip Its funny that he was hacking now he's basically trying to prevent hacking...


thats what happens to alot of big hackers

KixaPosted:

That's something you don't see everyday.