Facebook hires Sony hacker

Social network Facebook has hired a computer hacker who was recently sued by Sony for hacking the online game system PlayStation 3, The Sun reported.

Facebook, however, did not reveal what 21-year-old George Hotz will do for the firm.

Hotz – also known by the alias “GeoHot” – gained notoriety in 2008 when he developed a software for unlocking the iPhone and allowing it to be used by other networks, the report said.

He also released instructions on Sony PlayStation 3 that helped owners modify their consoles to run unauthorised applications and pirated games.

After Sony sued Hotz, hacker group Anonymous retaliated by bombarding the firm’s servers.

They also broke into Sony’s systems and stole personal information from online accounts of 100 million customers.