: Developers are constantly looking for new exploits. While 9.00 is currently the "golden" firmware for jailbreaking, a new exploit for higher versions could be discovered in the future.

The skill required to micro-solder on a Syscon chip (which has pins smaller than a grain of rice) is immense. One bridge between two pins will kill the motherboard.

To understand why a USB downgrade fails, you have to look at the PS4's security layers:

Some discussions in the PS4 modding community explore theoretical downgrade methods, such as modifying the SNVS (Secure Non-Volatile Storage) area of the Syscon or decrypting SPKGs using SAMU keys. However, these methods remain due to per-console encryption keys and unknown cryptographic components.

[Dump Original NOR & Syscon Chips] │ ▼ [Patch Syscon Registers / Toggle Active Slot] │ ▼ [Re-Flash Patched Dumps to Motherboard] │ ▼ [Reboot Console Into Safe Mode & Install Target FW] Step 1: Extracting the Chip Backups

Selling your PS4 on 13.02 and buying a pre-owned console on 9.00 is cheaper, safer, and faster than a hardware downgrade.

If your goal is to wait for a potential future software exploit for 13.02, disconnect your console from the internet immediately. Turn off "Automatic Downloads" in your system settings. A lower firmware version always has a higher statistical chance of receiving a public exploit than a newer one. Summary Warning

Here is what happens when you try to install 9.00 on a console that is currently running 13.02:

The rain was still pouring outside, but inside, the storm had passed. The downgrade was complete. He had successfully turned back the clock, trading the safety of the present for the freedom of the past.

On the subject of jailbreak methods, tools like the and Raspberry Pi Zero have become popular for automating the process on 9.00 by emulating the USB drive required for the exploit.

To protect the system during updates, the motherboard splits the CoreOS into two distinct partitions: