Custom firmware, also known as aftermarket firmware, is an unofficial new or modified version of firmware created by third parties on devices such as video game consoles and various embedded device types to provide new features or to unlock hidden functionality. In the video game console community, the term is often written as custom firmware or simply CFW, referring to an altered version of the original system software (also known as the official firmware or simply OFW) inside a video game console such as the PlayStation Portable and Nintendo 3DS.
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Video game consoles
Custom firmware often allow homebrew applications or ROM image backups to run directly within the game console, unlike official firmware, which usually only allow signed or retailed copies of software to run. Because custom firmware is often associated with software piracy, console manufacturers such as Nintendo and Sony have put significant effort into blocking custom firmware and other third party devices and content from their game consoles.
PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita
Custom firmware is commonly seen in the PlayStation Portable handhelds released by Sony. Notable custom firmware include M33 by Dark_AleX as well as those made by others such as the 5.50GEN series, Minimum Edition (ME/LME), and PRO.
Unlike the PlayStation Portable, there is currently no native CFW for its successor, although there is a CFW framework, the PlayStation Vita. There exists eCFW for the PS Vita, too, meaning custom firmware for PSP running in the PSP emulator of the PS Vita. These eCFWs include ARK, TN-V and more recently, Adrenaline, which includes more features since it was hacked from the native side. In 2016 things changed for the PS Vita scene, as a Team called Molecule released HENkaku which alters the OFW of the PS Vita on firmware 3.60 and by doing so creating a custom firmware on your handheld, opening it up like never before. The team behind the original HENkaku has also released taiHEN. taiHEN is a framework on which the newest version of HENkaku runs. It is a way to load plugins at the system level like you were used to on the PSP allowing you to change/add function to your console.
Nintendo 3DS
Like its predecessor, the Nintendo DS, the modding scene of the Nintendo 3DS can involve flash cartridges (see Nintendo DS and 3DS storage devices) rather than custom firmware, but custom firmware also exists for the Nintendo 3DS (although it isn't really custom firmware per se) and is compatible with any system version with an ARM9 kernel exploit. However, using a kernel exploit on system versions 11.2 and below, users can gain the ability to run custom firmware. One example is Luma3DS, the current most widely used CFW, which allows unsigned CIA (CTR Importable Archives) files to be installed on the Nintendo 3DS devices, provides region-free features, etc.. CFWs such as RxTools and Pasta have been considered obsolete by now. Other CFWs include Corbenik CFW (with a lot more control than Luma, but not meant for newbies), ReiNAND, on which Luma3DS (previously known as AuReiNAND) is based, Cakes CFW (which is the inspiration for Corbenik) and continue to offer support for EmuNAND/RedNAND, a CFW feature that boots the system from a partition of the SD card containing a copy of the 3DS' NAND memory. These EmuNANDs can protect the 3DS system from bricking, as the usual system NAND is unaffected if the emuNAND is no longer functioning properly or is otherwise unusable. EmuNANDs can also be updated separately from the usual system NAND, making online play and Nintendo eShop access possible on outdated 3DS system versions. However, most people currently use ARM9LoaderHax, a boot-time kernel exploit that allows people to safely use SysNAND and update it, as CFWs make it protected on boot, meaning an update won't remove it.
Other devices
Various other devices, such as digital cameras, wireless routers and smart TVs, may also run custom firmware. Examples of such custom firmware include: