TheFlow stops PS5 Linux work after hypervisor bug report to Sony
Andy Nguyen, known as TheFlow, has reportedly halted his PS5 Linux project after a Sony HackerOne report over a PS5 hypervisor bug.
- According to the report, the issue centered on a vulnerability that was reported to Sony via HackerOne after TheFlow had asked for it not to be submitted yet.
- TheFlow showed a video on March 6, 2026 of a modded PS5 running Linux and Grand Theft Auto 5.
What happened
Kotaku wrote on September 16, 2026 that TheFlow has ended, or at least paused, his PS5 Linux project. The report also says he had been working on Linux support for newer PS5 models, newer firmware, and possibly the PS5 Pro.
The trigger appears to have been a dispute over a PS5 hypervisor bug. According to a post from Jordy, known as @couldbeautism, TheFlow had asked for the vulnerability not to be reported to Sony yet. Jordy said he initially respected that request, but that someone else found the bug a few hours later with AI and then submitted it through HackerOne anyway.
The available sources do not provide a technical explanation of the bug itself and do not independently confirm the reporting chain. What is confirmed is that TheFlow had previously shown Linux running on a PS5 publicly: on March 6, 2026, he shared a video of a modded console running Linux and GTA 5.
Kotaku also says TheFlow did not want to share the exploit and Linux mod until after Grand Theft Auto 6 launched. That timing is mentioned in the supplied sources, but it is not independently verified.
Timeline
2026-03-06: TheFlow shares a video of a PS5 running Linux and Grand Theft Auto 5.
2026-09-15: According to the report, Jordy (@couldbeautism) submits a PS5 hypervisor bug to Sony via HackerOne.
2026-09-16: Jordy writes on X that he had waited first at TheFlow’s request before reporting the bug.
2026-09-16: Kotaku publishes a report saying TheFlow is stopping PS5 Linux work after the dispute over the bug report.
2026-09-16: The report says the project targeted newer PS5 models, newer firmware, and possibly the PS5 Pro.
Background
TheFlow, or Andy Nguyen, has long been a known name in PlayStation hacking and modding. The project now being discussed focused on Linux on newer PS5 models and newer firmware, with references in the reporting to the PS5 Pro as well.
The core of the dispute is an exploit involving the PS5 hypervisor, a security layer used in consoles for anti-tampering and anti-piracy purposes. According to Kotaku, TheFlow did not want the Linux project and related exploit shared until after the release of GTA 6.
The earlier demo from March 6, 2026 shows that TheFlow already had a working Linux setup on the console at that point, using GTA 5 as the demonstration. The sources do not make clear whether the project has been permanently abandoned or only paused.
Sources
- Kotaku: "Popular PlayStation Hacker Calling It Quits Due To AI-Using ‘Slop Kiddies’ Reporting Important Bug To Sony"
- X/Twitter: @theflow0, post from March 6, 2026
- X/Twitter: @couldbeautism, post from September 16, 2026