According to Ars Technica, the PS5 hacking scene took a major step forward this week with the release of the Relapse exploit. Unlike earlier jailbreaks that only worked on years-old firmware, Relapse works on any PS5 running firmware version 13.6 or earlier—meaning any console that hasn't been updated since before the mid-September release of version 14.00.00 is now potentially exploitable.
The exploit leverages a known WebKit vulnerability in the PS5's web browser to gain kernel write access and install an ELF loader for running arbitrary code. It also improves on previous methods by avoiding the lengthy system hangs that plagued earlier attempts. As a result, the pool of usable PS5 hardware has expanded significantly, which matters because many games require the latest firmware to run—so this exploit is compatible with far more titles, including digital backups of legitimately purchased games.
Beyond backups, jailbroken PS5s can run homebrew apps, emulators, and unofficial 60 fps mods for legacy PS4 games. However, the article notes that a full Linux implementation remains out of reach for most users, as it currently only works on systems with firmware 7.61 or earlier. The report does not mention any direct business implications, but the expanded exploit availability could pressure Sony's security efforts and affect the secondary market for used consoles.