Not all PSP models use the same method for permanent CFW. Identifying your model is the first step toward a successful mod.
: Ensure your PSP is on Official Firmware (OFW) 6.61 and your battery is at least 70% charged .
Sony released firmware 6.61 in 2015, only to block the Infinity exploit (which worked on 6.60). It changed very little from 6.60 in terms of user features, but and added new anti-cfw checks .
ARK-4 is currently the most active and modern CFW project. It often does not require separate tools like Infinity to be permanent .
This is a technical deep dive into – specifically focusing on how it works, the differences from 6.60, the unique challenges of 6.61, and the internals of the permanent patch.
For over a decade, Custom Firmware (CFW) was predominantly achieved on lower firmware versions or via temporary exploits on higher versions. Temporary exploits, such as those utilized by "ChickHEN" or "PRO-CFW," reside entirely in Random Access Memory (RAM). While safer, these exploits are volatile; once the device is powered down, the system reverts to the Official Firmware (OFW) state. The demand for a "Permanent" solution on the final official firmware (6.61) led to the development of specific firmware patches that persist through power cycles by writing directly to the internal Flash0 storage.
The Infinity architecture effectively chains the boot process:
The PlayStation Portable (PSP), released by Sony in 2004, utilized a proprietary operating system based on a monolithic kernel architecture. Throughout its lifecycle, Sony and the homebrew community engaged in a continuous "cat-and-mouse" game regarding system security. Sony’s primary defense mechanism was the enforcement of digital signatures on executable binaries (PRX and ISO formats).
Infinity (Initial Program Loader) with a custom one that:
Infinity scans for these offsets dynamically – that’s why it’s “universal.”