Sony will be permanently banning PlayStation 3 hackers, ultimately taking steps to secure its PlayStation Network.
Sony released a Customer Alert Nov. 13 on its Web site.
This move by the company is primarily to deal with the PS3 lv0 boot loader key leak threat and the ability of hacked players to play alongside legal users, Gameranx reported.
"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."
Sony stressed that customers must immediately stop using and delete all the "unauthorized or pirated software from their PlayStation 3 systems" if they want to avoid being permanently banned from PlayStation Network and Sony Entertainment Network.
The company said this is part of its effort to "to help provide a safe, fair, online environment" by permanently banning access to PlayStation Network for hackers.
This move by Sony is not the first time it is cracking down on players who have breached its user agreement, as it had taken action against hackers last year too, IGN reported.
The decision comes at the right time, as the world saw the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 recently.
It might prove to be a challenge for the company, as "the PlayStation 3's system software is now completely open and hackers are known to be equipped with a complete list of all the identifying data sent from the console to the server," Eurogamer reported.
Microsoft regularly bans players who pirate the Xbox 360 games and try to go online.