Sony warns PS3 hack users will be banned from PSN
Those that exploit security jailbreak will be "terminated permanently" from online services
Sony has addressed the growing piracy threat on the PlayStation 3, warning that any users exploiting unauthorised or pirated software will be banned from the PlayStation Network and other services.
The company is taking legal action against George Hotz and a number of other individuals and hacking groups for releasing a jailbreak allowing users to circumnavigate PlayStation 3 security.
"Unauthorised circumvention devices for the PlayStation 3 system have been recently released by hackers," acknowledged Sony today in a statement. "These devices permit the use of unauthorised or pirated software.
"Use of such devices or software violates the terms of the 'System Software License Agreement for the PlayStation 3 System' and the 'Terms of Services and User Agreement' for the PlayStation Network/Qriocity and its Community Code of Conduct provisions.
"Violation of the System Software Licence Agreement for the PlayStation 3 System invalidates the consumer guarantee for that system. In addition, copying or playing pirated software is a violation of International Copyright Laws," it warned.
"Consumers using circumvention devices or running unauthorised or pirated software will have access to the PlayStation Network and access to Qriocity services through PlayStation 3 System terminated permanently.
"To avoid this, consumers must immediately cease use and remove all circumvention devices and delete all unauthorised or pirated software from their PlayStation 3 systems."
While Sony is taking legal action against individuals, others, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation has accused the corporation of abusing the Computer Fraud act.
While the legal debate is sure to rumble on, many consider that the PlayStation 3 system has now been broken open for good, with some security experts suggesting piracy on the hardware could be worse than it is on the PlayStation Portable.