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Endgame: A dashboard exploit for the original Xbox

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Re: Endgame: A dashboard exploit for the original Xbox

#11

Post by azalemeth »

In many ways I think it is really quite sad that we're at a point where blown e-fuses, encrypted everything and properly done public/private key crypto means that it's entirely possible that next generation of consoles really might actually be unhackable and unbackupable, barring some tiny bootloader exploit, cheap TEM and an understanding of "physically uncloneable functions", or cheap and plentiful qubits.

Things like this are just cool, prevent e-waste, and preserve cultural heritage.

Re: Endgame: A dashboard exploit for the original Xbox

#12

Post by chadkeck »

cheeze wrote: post #7
nebula8804 wrote: post #4

This soothes my soul seeing exploits for the consoles I grew up with. For a second it takes me back to a simpler time. The homebrew scene for the XBOX was more fun than the console itself! A while back I saw this clickbait video of "Gen Z trying out the original XBOX" and man that was a reality check as to how much time has passed.

Hacking the original Xbox + x360 is what I credit as getting me "really into computers" For OG xbox, I was a definition script kiddie but I learned how to use FTP, how to connect via crossover cable, how to solder, the basics of what exploits are and how they work, and a ton of other skills that I use daily. X360 required me to take the damn thing apart (which was terrifying as a 14 year old who wouldn't get a replac…

Same here for the OG Xbox. Lots of TSOP flashes for friends over SSH after booting a saved game exploit for 007: Agent Under Fire. Reading lots of the forums on xbox-scene.com. Learned to solder with a soldering iron I picked up from the local Radioshack.

Re: Endgame: A dashboard exploit for the original Xbox

#13

Post by rusk »

azalemeth wrote: post #11

In many ways I think it is really quite sad that we're at a point where blown e-fuses, encrypted everything and properly done public/private key crypto means that it's entirely possible that next generation of consoles really might actually be unhackable and unbackupable, barring some tiny bootloader exploit, cheap TEM and an understanding of "physically uncloneable functions", or cheap and plentiful qubits. Things l…

it saddens me as a vintage games conservator that my present day PS4 will be a brick in a few years. When I have consoles and games going back 40 years. It just doesn’t seem right.

Re: Endgame: A dashboard exploit for the original Xbox

#15

Post by geor9e »

bl4kers wrote: post #8

Why would I want to do this? It doesn't seem to mention that in the README

I guess the younger generation grew up with unmoddable consoles, so the concept is less known nowadays. The older audience immediately knows that it's for. You can run free homebrew apps, games, and if you really wanted, with a little more code, run pirated copies of retail games, and cheats. If you had a PS1 or Xbox, you got it modchipped by some classmate, everyone did in the 2000s, it was rampant, at least at my school. I still remember bunnie, who was famous online for first hacking the xbox. Hardmods required some soldering, Softmods just required a particular game and flashdrive. This new one just requires a memory card. They didn't fully softmod it for legal reasons but they did the hard part. Since it's such an old console, it's really just a novelty that they found another method.

Re: Endgame: A dashboard exploit for the original Xbox

#16

Post by breakingcups »

bl4kers wrote: post #8

Why would I want to do this? It doesn't seem to mention that in the README

The original Xbox was locked down so only code signed by Microsoft was allowed to run on it. The executables also had a flag specifying which media it was allowed to run from. This meant that you couldn't run a game from a copied disc (different media-type) or the internal hard drive (again, different media-type).

There were plenty of hacks that allowed you to circumvent this. Once you get some form of code execution on the Xbox, it's over, everything runs in Ring 0, meaning you get full access. You can use exploitable executables to maintain persistence without having to do any hardware modifications. However, all these methods relied on an initial entry through either:

A. Installing new hardware (a modchip) to run an altered version of the Microsoft Xbox kernel that doesn't perform the usual checks.

B. Transferring an altered save game to the Xbox through the memory card (internally it's just a USB drive), running the game and loading the save, which triggers an exploit

C. Booting the console (which unlocks the hard drive), waiting until the hard drive activity ceases, "hotswapping" the IDE cable to your computer, modifying the files, swapping it back and turning the console off so the drive locks again. (If the hard drive loses power, it locks itself again too, hence why the hotswap-which is not supported by the PATA standard obviously-is needed)

Now, with this, there is no more reliance on bespoke modchip hardware, aging vulnerable game discs or machines that you can still hotswap an IDE drive to. Which means that Xbox modding has gotten more reliable for the coming years. Which is good news in my book.

Re: Endgame: A dashboard exploit for the original Xbox

#17

Post by graphe »

azalemeth wrote: post #11

In many ways I think it is really quite sad that we're at a point where blown e-fuses, encrypted everything and properly done public/private key crypto means that it's entirely possible that next generation of consoles really might actually be unhackable and unbackupable, barring some tiny bootloader exploit, cheap TEM and an understanding of "physically uncloneable functions", or cheap and plentiful qubits. Things l…

They're all x86 so don't despair.

Plus they haven't made a good exclusive since Bloodborne. No Xbox exclusives afaik.

Don't worry, gaming peaked a long time ago. There's a huge backlog of great games that are better than their remakes like XCOM. Aside from graphics, I'd say AAA gameplay has even regressed in many ways. Indie games do their own thing and run on PC.

Re: Endgame: A dashboard exploit for the original Xbox

#18

Post by auguzanellato »

azalemeth wrote: post #11

In many ways I think it is really quite sad that we're at a point where blown e-fuses, encrypted everything and properly done public/private key crypto means that it's entirely possible that next generation of consoles really might actually be unhackable and unbackupable, barring some tiny bootloader exploit, cheap TEM and an understanding of "physically uncloneable functions", or cheap and plentiful qubits. Things l…

> In many ways I think it is really quite sad that we're at a point where blown e-fuses, encrypted everything and properly done public/private key crypto means that it's entirely possible that next generation of consoles really might actually be unhackable

Pirates will always find a way, the Nintendo Switch had all the countermeasures you mentioned, the latest revisions also have a patched bootloader but someone figured out that they could still boot a custom firmware via power fault injection on the SoC.

Re: Endgame: A dashboard exploit for the original Xbox

#19

Post by codetrotter »

rusk wrote: post #13
azalemeth wrote: post #11

In many ways I think it is really quite sad that we're at a point where blown e-fuses, encrypted everything and properly done public/private key crypto means that it's entirely possible that next generation of consoles really might actually be unhackable and unbackupable, barring some tiny bootloader exploit, cheap TEM and an understanding of "physically uncloneable functions", or cheap and plentiful qubits. Things l…

it saddens me as a vintage games conservator that my present day PS4 will be a brick in a few years. When I have consoles and games going back 40 years. It just doesn’t seem right.

OTOH, has there really been any actually culturally significant video games released in recent years?

I enjoyed for example the Uncharted games a lot. But I don’t think anything significant will have been lost if future generations of people don’t get to play the Uncharted games, no matter how much I enjoyed them myself.

Whereas, things like Pong, and Pac-Man and the first Super Mario games and the Pokémon Red and Blue and Yellow games feel much more important for me, and of course the original Doom, all of these are important on a whole other level. And thankfully they are all sure to be able to be preserved at least in some form.

Re: Endgame: A dashboard exploit for the original Xbox

#20

Post by theodric »

rusk wrote: post #13
azalemeth wrote: post #11

In many ways I think it is really quite sad that we're at a point where blown e-fuses, encrypted everything and properly done public/private key crypto means that it's entirely possible that next generation of consoles really might actually be unhackable and unbackupable, barring some tiny bootloader exploit, cheap TEM and an understanding of "physically uncloneable functions", or cheap and plentiful qubits. Things l…

it saddens me as a vintage games conservator that my present day PS4 will be a brick in a few years. When I have consoles and games going back 40 years. It just doesn’t seem right.

I mean this as earnestly as possible: remember that pain and don't buy a PS5, or a PS6, or [...] Don't build any more emotional relationships with products built by rentiers that refuse to respect your ability to enjoy the perpetuity of your license (and god forbid even considering actually owning anything). Take on an allotment and breed a new hybrid chili pepper, or brew some beer and share it with your neighbors. Beat Galaga for the 11,000th time. Whatever it takes. To hell with Huxley's Brave New World-- a better one is possible if we force it to exist by refusing to continue enabling the system enslaving us.
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