Second, it is : Installing an official .PUP is the only way to alter the console’s most protected memory regions. The update process runs with "hypervisor-level" privileges, a security ring even higher than the kernel. No game or application running on the PS3 can achieve this level of access. Thus, the act of updating is an exclusive ceremony where Sony’s code takes total control.

: Obtain the latest firmware from the official PlayStation Support Page .

No other console has a single file quite like it. The Xbox 360 uses multiple .bin files. The PS4 uses PS4UPDATE.PUP —but with stronger encryption. The PS3 sits in a sweet spot: powerful, cracked, but never fully surrendered.

The Ultimate Guide to PS3 Firmware: Understanding PS3UPDAT.PUP