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The PS4 Message Bug Has Apparently Been Fixed
30 minutes ago
There was a malicious bug that had been affecting some PlayStation 4 owners when it came to opening up a message and having their system get bricked. It was a really annoying and frustrating bug for some gamers to encounter, but, thankfully, the nightmare of possibly opening up a message and having your system crash has been resolved.
We've since fixed the issue, and it wasn't bricking consoles, just sending them into a crash loop that can be quickly fixed in under 5 minutes. Delete the message on the PS mobile app, go into Safe Mode, use Option 5, console back to normal. ^DB
— Ask PlayStation UK (@AskPS_UK) October 15, 2018
The news about the bug being patched out came courtesy of the official Ask PlayStation UK Twitter account. The handler responded to a user who sarcastically mentioned that, in addition to sending text messages, voice messages and screenshots through the PlayStation Network, you can also send bugs that brick the PlayStation console.
The Ask PlayStation UK account then responded, stating that the issue had been addressed by Sony, and that the bug no longer disrupts a user's PlayStation 4 console if they receive the message.
As noted by the account, Sony didn't label the bug as "bricking" consoles, but rather that it sent the PS4 into an infinite state loop that would eventually cause it to crash. The post notes that the issue can be fixed within five minutes by accessing the PlayStation mobile app from a separate device, delete the message from your account, and then put your PS4 into Safe Mode before restoring the console's functionality.
However, one must question how exactly the issue could be fixed if you don't have the PlayStation mobile app? If you don't use the app or regularly use your cellphone for apps, how exactly do you fix the issue?
Also, if a system is sent into an infinite crash loop and you're unable to access the system in any capacity via means of powering it on or powering it down or resetting it without third-party intervention, then it effectively means that the system is bricked.
Quite naturally, even with a fix in place to address the message bug, some users asked if Sony would be permanently banning the users who had sent out the bug to purposefully brick other users' consoles. The account replied by noting that the Twitter account is not part of the moderation team and that you'll need the details of the user account who sent the message in order to have their account actioned, directing users to the submission form to report malicious content.
This isn't the first time that Sony has encountered mass reports about a bug disrupting the functionality of the PlayStation 4. There was the infamous CE-3487 error from a few years back that corrupted save game files. Then we had the typical, intermittent connectivity issues that the service experienced quite frequently around the time when the DDOS script kiddies were prevalent, and that's not to mention the 2011 hack that netted Sony some hefty fines.
On the upside, at least Sony was quick to respond to the bug and get it fixed before it did too much damage. Of course, if you still have problems accessing your PS4, be sure to follow the steps about downloading the app and deleting the message from your PSN account.
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