Technology and Science · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Relapse Exploit Lets PS5 Jailbreaks Run Through Browser Up To Firmware 13.60
Relapse jailbreak runs on PS5 firmware 7.00–13.60 via the browser, non-persistent after restart. It broadens compatibility to most PS5s and PS5 Pro, except devices on 14.00+.
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6 of 8 outlets skipped it: relapse depends on an ELF loader.
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“This project is intended for educational and security research purposes only.”Read the original ↗
Kotaku spotlights piracy implications, while mxdwn stresses legal and security-research disclaimers.
Relapse expands PS5 access
The PS5 hacking community gained a new option Tuesday with the release of the Relapse exploit, which works with any PS5 up to firmware version 13.6 and makes jailbreaking possible on consoles last updated before the mid-September release of firmware version 14.00.00. The method uses a long-known WebKit vulnerability in the PS5’s hard-to-access web browser, escalating to gain write access to the PS5 kernel and install an ELF loader. Relapse is more efficient than previous PS5 jailbreak exploits that could hang the system for 50 minutes per attempt.
Frandroid said ntfargo’s GitHub account uploaded Relapse as a tool that allows jailbreaking the PS5 through the browser, without opening the machine or touching the hardware. Frandroid added that Relapse works on system software versions from 7.00 to 13.60, while PS5s running a version earlier than 7.00 or later than 13.60 are not supported.
How it works, and limits
Relapse chains a browser step and a kernel step, and Frandroid said the first step targets the console’s built-in browser built on WebKit, the Safari engine. The project description describes information leaks and a memory management error that allow it to corrupt data that the browser keeps in memory. The second step targets the kernel, combining a memory address leak and a use-after-free bug to obtain the right to read and write in the kernel.
Tom's Guide said the previous public method, P2JB, could take up to 50 minutes, whereas Relapse completes in a few seconds. Frandroid warned that the browser step may require several attempts and that the kernel step can freeze or crash the console, requiring a reboot before retrying.
What it enables, and risks
The Relapse jailbreak is described as enabling unofficial code execution, and Ars Technica said it escalates to gain write access to the PS5 kernel and install an ELF loader to streamline the running of arbitrary code. The jailbreak is temporary and must be relaunched, and it said the breach concerns players who have disabled automatic updates and new consoles sitting on shelves with an older firmware. Consoles that installed the 14.00 update, deployed on September 16, are not “compatible” with this jailbreak, and it said Sony does not allow rolling back to an earlier version.
The software is provided as-is, without warranty, and users assume the risks of using it, including system instability, data loss, and account bans. Relapse is tethered, so everything stops working after a reboot until the exploit runs again, and consoles updated to Sony's 14.00 firmware, released September 16, are not compatible with Relapse.