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Hacker awarded $50k bounty for reporting bug to Sony that allowed PS5 Linux exploit — move sparks backlash from jailbreaking community The security researcher who originally discovered the hypervisor bug held off reporting it to Sony, intending to disclose it only after the launch of GTA VI. A hacker used an AI LLM to find a hypervisor bug that allowed security researchers to load Linux on PlayStation 5 consoles, subsequently reported it to Sony, and received a $50,000 bug bounty. IGN reports that the person who discovered the flaw, who goes by Jordy on X, shared the award on the social media platform, drawing significant ire. The biggest driver of the criticism, though, is that Jordy agreed to delay the report until after the launch of GTA VI, but moved forward anyway after someone else discovered the flaw, meaning it would be patched prior to the launch of the game, and possibly denying someone else the payday. “I can at least buy GTA 6 with this, I think,” Jordy said on their X account. One user called Gille replied to their post, saying, “50k in bank but 0 friends left. Worth it?” Another one named Darth Riker commented, “You did not ‘find this bug yourself’. The flow0 (Andy Nguyen) did that. You, however, didn’t. You’re just a lazy s****** who’s no different to those scammers out there,” while Matthew Cramer added, “The worst thing is not the money grab, it’s the fact that the whole point of exploiting PS5 is freedom, ownership, and control. Sony goes against everything we stand for! If Jordy was in need of money, there are hundreds of bug bounty programs with high paydays… or a better job!” The ps5-linux-loader GitHub project requires a PS5 Phat, Slim, or Pro running firmware version 3.00 to 13.60 to work as intended. While it’s unclear if Sony had been aware of the flaw that allowed the Linux install on the console before Jordy’s report, it released firmware version 14.20 on Oct. 21, 2026, which patched the flaw. Because the latest games often require the latest firmware on the console before you can install them, the latest update means that users who are experimenting with running Linux on their PlayStation 5 would either have to pick between that and playing GTA VI on launch date. Another thing that caught the ire of many jailbreaking fans is Jordy’s use of AI. Despite being a useful tool for discovering vulnerabilities when used by professionals, it has also overwhelmed several bug bounty programs with AI submissions. This includes Google, which has frozen its program until 2027, and Linus Torvalds, who switched to a public system as the Linux security mailing list has become “almost entirely unmanageable,” with AI bug hunters finding as many as 2,000 CVEs per release. “I am stepping away from the PS5 scene and stopping all my work on PS5 Linux. After pouring my heart and months of my life into it, including plans to finish PS5 Pro support and release in 2027, it’s all down the sink,” Nguyen posted on X. He also added, “The scene used to be a group of highly talented researchers, but now it is just a bunch of noobs using LLMs and writing hacks they don’t even understand. Slop kiddies found the only hypervisor bug left, which I had also found a while ago, and decided to report to Sony.” Jordy told the publication that they agreed with Nguyen to delay the bug report, with the latter asking to only do so after GTA 6 has come out. However, the former admitted to doing it anyway as other researchers using generative AI also found the bug, with Jordy risking losing the $50,000 bounty if somebody else reports the exploit. “I decided I would report it,” Jordy told IGN. “If I and another person can find it with LLM, so can someone else.” Sony’s PlayStation 5 has been the focus of hacks, emulators, and jailbreaking recently, especially after the company announced that it will end physical game disc production by January 2028. Despite the pushback against this decision, Sony has doubled down on its move and even threatened to cut off customer support and take legal action against harassment from disgruntled customers. This, combined with Jordy’s use of AI and X post sharing the $50,000 award, is what drove the ire of many in the PS5 jailbreaking scene. Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds. Jowi Morales is a tech enthusiast with years of experience working in the industry. He’s been writing with several tech publications since 2021, where he’s been interested in tech hardware and consumer electronics. - -Fran- Well, at least now the world knows how much is honour worth for that person: $50.000. Regards. Reply - Makaveli lol he better use that 50k for security I see him getting hacked. Also good example of most people will sell out for cash. I'm not a PS5 owner just find this funny. Reply - Katorga Poorly written article. A collection of quotes with very little context. Who is Andy Nguyen and did he discover this flaw first? That seems more important to me than some witty comment from X "user called Gille".Reply - artk2219 -Fran- said:Well, at least now the world knows how much is honour worth for that person: $50.000. Regards.It is likely far less, that is just what Sony was giving them. Shoot, some politicians routinely sell out their constituents for the price of a cheap lunch, this person is probably not that different. Reply - derekullo -Fran- said:Well, at least now the world knows how much is honour worth for that person: $50.000. Regards.Makaveli said:lol he better use that 50k for security I see him getting hacked. Also good example of most people will sell out for cash. I'm not a PS5 owner just find this funny. Y'all do realize he wanted to wait till after GTA6 to release the bug and only reported the bug to Sony as news of its existence got out? Do you think security researchers should not get paid / sell out for cash or does it only matter for games you want to play? Reply - hotaru251 -Fran- said:Well, at least now the world knows how much is honour worth for that person: $50.000.not the first time. wont be the last. Happened ages ago with crackers who shared tool and then someone gave it to anti cheat companies that patch it. Reply - Pierce2623 If i was unlucky enough to have a console, or more specifically a ps5, as my means of playing games, i would definitely pick freedom to use it however i choose over playing GTAVI at launch. The whole idea that it’s somehow going to redefine gaming is ludicrous. I mean maybe its the most photorealistic game to date. Who cares? That isn’t really particularly all that exciting to me because its just about some cringe ass modern left wing losers who think they’re gangsters.Reply - scottslayer I swear they have private disclosures for big stuff like this so what kind of low IQ vermin brags about this...oh wait it an AI user that stole the work from several other people, yeah that sounds right.Reply
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