PS3 hardrive or surfing online?

[Caligula]

I own ps3 and i was wondering last night after I downloaded my son's birth video from my website into my ps3 hard drive. After download was done and i was wondering about other videos online (Ps3 store or any kind site). As you know videos or images can contain Viruses and will destroy hardware if not protected. This may be a dumb question but i was curious to ask.

Will we need Antivirus program for ps3 or any blu ray player with ethernet plug to get online. Will the download or surfing broswer have virus and harm blu players?



sorry if it was discussed before! Thank you for your time

[MouseRider]

If you're wondering if it is possible, sure it is.

There have been lots of chatter on this subject for a while now, especially with user created content coming soon for games.

[Caligula]

Whats the solution for those malicious program or movie?

[blu-backer]

Get a Mac or AppleTV </sarcasm>

[Irishwiseguy2006]

Isnt there an anti virus you can download now. I think I noticed the other day. Its under the section where you go online on the XMB i think. I forgot what its called and I am at work or I would tell you.

[CptGreedle]

I have no idea if there is a PS3 anti-virus. It would be a great update to add into the OS if they get around to it. perhaps you should go to the playstation forums on their site and suggest it or see if someone else has.
If anyone else knows anything about an anti-virus for PS3 or of one coming out soon, keep us posted!

[UlicBelouve]

It think it comes down to the viability of such protection. Sure, you can download some video that corrupts your harddrive with some virus. But what are the vectors for the PS3 being able to spread viruses? What kind of information can someone steal off of a PS3?

PCs are still the bigger field in terms of the type of rewards one can get from viruses: people store sensitive information on them, they are tied into corporate backbones, most have an always-on-connection, and they use a common programming language.

If the only threat of a virus on a PS3 is it damaging your console, there will likely be little need for AV software. It will be a while (if ever) before viruses are a large threat to PS3s. I think the shell in which a lot of things run is sufficient.

I'll only worry once it becomes a problem for smartphones, because those are a bigger target right now, than PS3s.

[crunchywyte]

Originally Posted by UlicBelouve

What kind of information can someone steal off of a PS3?.

Probably none....but what about a disgruntled HDDVD owner....?

[181]

Originally Posted by Caligula

Whats the solution for those malicious program or movie?

Trend Micro is your only feasible option for PS3 security. It may not cover everything, but this is all you have.

When you are in the Internet Browser, go to "Tools" -> "Browser Security" -> "Start Trend Micro Web Security for PS3"

http://webclassify.trendmicro.com/index.aspx

Nothing is ever save from malicious programs or people. You just have to try your best to prevent these kinds of attacks. And for now, Trend Micro is the best (and only real) solution, even if it may not protect you the way you'd like it to.

The most likely successful attack on a PS3 will be through a separate channel, not through the web browser, but by means of Blue Tooth, Wi-Fi, or malicious content you willingly downloaded. Don't download something you don't fully trust.

In any case, the internet browser for the PS3 is in a closed environment. Any exploits that surface (which is much more difficult since third parties don't have direct access to the web browser code) will result in Sony releasing a patch to address the exploit.

[terjeber]

Originally Posted by Caligula

As you know videos or images can contain Viruses and will destroy hardware if not protected.

Don't worry about this. You have a couple of things wrong.

1. A video or an image can not typically contain a virus, a virus is executable code and must reside in a program, there are some exceptions but these are all tied to bugs in things like JPEG rendering code etc (overflow errors). Quite rare, and quite hard to exploit actually. I don't really know of any virus spreading like this, even in the well-known buffer-overflow cases. Virii spreads when people download executables - games, pirated software, free software from sources they don't know.
2. A virus can not really damage your hardware

So, don't worry. You are pretty much 100% guaranteed not to get a virus from downloading an image or a video. In theory you can get virii from downloading games demos, since those are executables however this is also rather far-fetched since there are currently 0 known virii for the PS3.

[Irishwiseguy2006]

Originally Posted by 181

Trend Micro is your only feasible option for PS3 security. It may not cover everything, but this is all you have.

When you are in the Internet Browser, go to "Tools" -> "Browser Security" -> "Start Trend Micro Web Security for PS3"

http://webclassify.trendmicro.com/index.aspx

Nothing is ever save from malicious programs or people. You just have to try your best to prevent these kinds of attacks. And for now, Trend Micro is the best (and only real) solution, even if it may not protect you the way you'd like it to.

Thanks, thats what I was trying to tell him earlier but couldnt remember the name.

[terjeber]

Originally Posted by UlicBelouve

Sure, you can download some video that corrupts your harddrive with some virus.

Not really, no. A virus needs to reside in executable code, a video is data only. The only way a virus can reside in video is if the video player on the PS3 is broken and will execute arbitrary code when exploited. This scenario is rather far-fetched and it is exceedingly rare that malware (virii, spyware) spreads like this. A virus spreads when someone downloads executables, pirated software, games demos etc. In some cases even legitimate software.

Originally Posted by UlicBelouve

PCs are still the bigger field ... and they use a common programming language.

PCs have a huge variety of programming languages. This statement is just strange.

Originally Posted by UlicBelouve

I'll only worry once it becomes a problem for smartphones, because those are a bigger target right now, than PS3s.

This one I do agree with though, and smartphones, particularly the ones that are used through companies, such as BlackBerry, are a much more attractive target.

[Phane]

I really wouldn't worry about virii on the PS3. It's highly unlikely that you'll come across one. You'd have to be running third party programs, which I don't think the PS3 will allow you to do without taking advantage of some kind of exploit or hack, which you wouldn't do just by browsing around online and downloading videos or images.

[actionhank]

Just stay a from the naughty websites!

I don't know if this is exactly true, but even if a virus starts to crawl around the internet specifically designed to attack the PS3 Sony can add a fix to this security hole in the next firmware update. Unless the virus somehow disables you're ability to update via the internet or by CD.

[181]

Speaking of PS3 viruses, when I bought my PS3, the Best Buy cashier tried to convince me that I needed the service plan in case my PS3 got a virus. I kindly informed him I had a degree in Computer Software and Hardware Engineering which included a few classes dedicated to computer security and that no such service plan was needed.

He immediately responded with "These aren't the droids we're looking for."

Well not really.

Anyways, it's possible not probable. I'm willing to risk the PS3 since it is relatively inexpensive.