Although they issued a terse, general comment on the matter late last week, Sony has for the first time responded directly to hackers who dismantled the PlayStation 3's software security, and unsurprisingly they did so with lawyers. George Hotz and members of the group fail0verflow have been hit with a lawsuit, accused of circumventing "effective technological protection measures" in the PS3 in a way that would knowingly lead to increased piracy.

Sony alleges the defendants (which number over 100 named in the suit) violated the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Copyright Act and related state and common laws covered by the California Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act. All if this comes by way of the legal documents Hotz was served, which he published on his website (via GamesIndustry.biz).

Sony is seeking a Temporary Restraining Order, Order to Show Cause, and Order of Impoundment against Hotz and the other defendants, claiming that if they don't turn in any hardware or software used to circumvent the PS3's security, Sony "will suffer irreparable harm." The restraining order would also prevent them from further spreading any circumvention technology online, or from accessing the PS3 to obtain any further code or information from the device.

The move, though, seems more punitive than preventative; the fact remains the root key is out in the open, and striking back at Hotz and fail0verflow -- while probably justified under the law -- likely won't in itself do much to counter whatever consequences this chain of events will lead to. As for what more Sony will do to attempt to repair the PS3's security going forward, that still remains to be seen.

What if a 12 year old dismantled the PS3 security, then what?