Yesterday Sony released a firmware update for the PS3. The security patch was intended to combat recent security vulnerabilities which have been exposed by hackers, allowing users to play copies of games and run homebrew software on the console.

Unfortunately for Sony, just hours after releasing the firmware update, hackers have managed to circumvent the fix. According to Examiner, new security keys which allow users to run homebrew applications on the console with firmware 3.56 have already been released.

Now it is just a matter of time before Sony releases yet another update to combat the new hack, and in turn, before hackers release a counter to that.

While many users support the hacks on the basis that they unlock the PS3’s potential to run legitimate homebrew software, and things like Linux which was previously an advertised feature of the PS3, the reality is that it also allows people to pirate games, which results in less money being fed back into the industry we love.

It also makes it incredibly easy for gamers to run hacks in online games, a problem that has become so rife in Modern Warfare 2 since the recent round of jailbreaks, that an Activision representative has even suggested shutting down the game’s PS3 servers as a “viable solution”.