In what appears to be the first public acknowledgement from Sony on the recent progress made by hackers to once again defeat security measures of the PlayStation 3 --re-enabling homebrew software and pirated games on the latest firmware revisions, as well as PlayStation Network access on exploited machines-- the company has issued a new consumer alert, offering pirates an amnesty to cease their swashbuckling ways before the banhammer comes down (thanks Eurogamer).

Unauthorized software for the PlayStation®3 system was recently released by hackers. Use of such 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/Sony Entertainment Network and its Community Code of Conduct provisions.

Violation of the System Software License Agreement for the PlayStation®3 system invalidates the consumer's right to access that system. Consumers running unauthorized or pirated software may have their access to the PlayStation®Network and access to Sony Entertainment Network services through PlayStation®3 system terminated permanently.

To avoid permanent termination, consumers must immediately cease using and delete all unauthorized or pirated software from their PlayStation®3 systems.

In order to help provide a safe, fair, online environment, consumers who we believe violate "Terms of Services and User Agreement" for the PlayStation®Network/Sony Entertainment Network or the applicable laws or regulations of their country or region risk having access to the PlayStation®Network and access to Sony Entertainment Network services terminated permanently.

The key point of the announcement is that PlayStation owners currently running the security-defeating custom firmware software are seemingly being given an opportunity to repent in order to avoid an expected wave of permanent PSN bans for offending consoles.

Of course, many console pirates won't be too fussed about the loss online multiplayer afforded by PSN access, but it is nice to see Sony offering fair warning for curious modders that may not understand the full ramifications of their decision to install modified console firmware.

The current custom firmware hacks for the PlayStation 3 are restricted to a small population older consoles that are still on v3.55, but it is expected to be only a matter of time that exploits are discovered for newer revisions now that the mod community has greater low-level access via their older systems.