Three hackers claim they have successfully gained root access to Research in Motion's PlayBook tablet to run unauthorized applications.

Research in Motion said on Wednesday it is investigating the hackers claim of "jailbreaking" the PlayBook. If the claim is confirmed, RIM said it will release a patch to plug the security breach.

Jailbreaking is a common practice that allows a user to alter any file or program on a device and can control hardware functions. Hackers will release this information to other programmers who will use it to create their own applications for the devices. Jailbreaking a device is often used to customizing a device that isn't authorized by the manufacturer. Other users will jailbreak their devices to add pirated content to their smartphones or tablets.

Hackers don't usually go after RIM devices partly because it doesn't as many users as its rivals Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating systems and because RIM is known for its secure system. The PlayBook is the first tablet to earn the U.S. government's top security certification approving it for U.S. government use.

The three hackers who only identify themselves as xpvqs, neuralic and Chris Wade have posted YouTube videos demonstrating their hack allowing the PlayBook tablet to access the Internet video service Hulu. The video service from Comcast's NBC Universal, News Corp's Fox and Walt Disney Co.'s ABC hasn't released an app for RIM's PlayBook. A second video shows neuralic typing commands into a computer to turn the PlayBook's LED indicators on and off.

The three hackers plan to release their data as a tool called Dingleberry within a week. Wade said in a tweet that the tool will allow users to access and alter the PlayBook's file system and load new apps and operating systems.

"RIM is currently not aware of a jailbreak being leveraged by anyone other than the researchers, who claim to have performed a jailbreak on their own PlayBook tablets only," the company said in a statement "RIM is committed to the PlayBook and to working with researchers to continue to protect our customers."

The PlayBook tablet runs on RIM's newest operating system the QNX which is different from the system of RIM's current BlackBerry smartphones. RIM is planning to use the QNX system with its new smartphones starting next year.