A jailbreak for PlayStation 5 consoles, dubbed Relapse, has been published on GitHub under an MIT license. The exploit works on PS5 firmware versions 7.00 through 13.60 and requires only a DNS configuration change and access to the console's User Guide.
The timing draws attention to an ongoing legal dispute. In August, Sony told a federal court in a class action lawsuit that reasonable consumers would not be misled into believing they own the digital games they purchase. The lawsuit, filed in June in the Northern District of California, involves four PlayStation customers who allege that the "Buy Now" button misleads buyers about game ownership. Sony argues in its defense that games are "licensed to you, not sold."
How the Jailbreak Works
Relapse chains two attacks to enable custom code execution. Users can configure their PS5's primary DNS to a specific address, then access an exploit page through the console's User Guide browser. The jailbreak allows users to load payloads through an ELF loader, enabling homebrew applications and game backups.
The exploit is not persistent. Users must rerun it after each console restart. Additionally, consoles updated to firmware version 14.00 or later are not compatible, as Sony released version 14.00 on September 16.
Limitations and Risks
The jailbreak is tethered, meaning all custom functionality stops working after a reboot until the exploit is run again. The GitHub repository warns that WebKit may require multiple attempts and that the kernel stage can hang or crash the console. Users are cautioned that using the jailbreak may result in system failures, data loss, or account bans.
Ownership and Control
The Relapse jailbreak addresses a separate aspect of the ownership debate from Sony's legal case. While the lawsuit focuses on whether players own games they purchase digitally, the jailbreak concerns what users can do with the hardware they have already bought. The issue intersects with broader consumer rights discussions, particularly regarding the right to repair and device control.
The repository includes a disclaimer stating the project is for "educational and security research purposes only" and does not endorse piracy. However, discussions on related forums indicate users are testing which games run on the jailbreak.
