PS4 Users Warned To Set Messages to Private, Received Message Exploit Could Brick

[Jtbrig7390]

https://www.playstationtrophies.org/...r-Console.html

A warning has been issued to PlayStation 4 users to set their messages to private in light of some received messages causing consoles to be bricked, i.e. rendered useless. Apparently, the exploit involves being sent a private message that contains certain characters that once viewed, prompt users to perform a factory reset on their console.

Your PS4 will be bricked, should you fail to carry out a factory reset, and in many cases, merely receiving the notifcation can be enough to cause the issue, “depending on how much of the message it parses," according to posters on the Reddit forums. Deleting the message also doesn't rectify the problem, even if you do it from the PlayStation mobile app.

"A player from the other team used a dummy account to send the message and crashed my entire team," Reddit user Huntstark observed. “We all have had to factory reset. Only one of our guys wasn’t affected and he has his messages private."

Sony has yet to address the reported issue, but it's probably better to be safe than sorry, and set your messages to private. To do this, head to Settings on your PS4, then Account Management and into Privacy Settings. Enter your password to access the Personal Info page, then set your message filter to 'Friends' (assuming you can count on them to not send you the exploit in question) or 'No One'.

We'll have more on the PS4 messaging issue should Sony release a response.

Mine has always been set to private but ether way I would advise people in doing so.

Simply turn the system off, log into phone app and delete the message, turn system back on.

[Killmaim Deathbringer]

reminds me of the iphones that would crash when sent a certain character

[Jtbrig7390]

reminds me of the iphones that would crash when sent a certain character

Now that you mention that ya it reminds me of that bug as well.

[Tech614]

Doesn't brick your system. Simply turn the system off, log into phone app and delete the message, turn system back on.

Haven't had it happen to me but read about it earlier, much be the people who found out about it and are exploiting it that spread the "brick console" fear.

Still, most people would suggest you have messages turned off or on friends only in this day and age anyways. Spam messages are a thing on PSN and XBL and have been since last gen.

[Jtbrig7390]

Doesn't brick your system. Simply turn the system off, log into phone app and delete the message, turn system back on.

Haven't had it happen to me but read about it earlier, much be the people who found out about it and are exploiting it that spread the "brick console" fear.

Still, most people would suggest you have messages turned off or on friends only in this day and age anyways. Spam messages are a thing on PSN and XBL and have been since last gen.

ill add the top part to the OP, I just found out about it and figured I would post the story.