Hacking Huge exploit found on firmware 3.0.0: smhax

[Deleted User]

The thing with this one is that, its such a minor number that you don't expect something of this gravity to occur. The scope of the change from 3.0.0 to 3.0.1 is massive because the hole for smhax was probably one of the biggest holes in a system ever. The change over is huge and the R&D team on this did a monstrous amount of work in patching this, but its in a measly 3.0.1 update. Not a 4.0.0 or even 3.1.0. Just 3.0.1, makes you think its some minor update to something tiny somewhere.

There were early warning signs but it took people basically sacrificing a switch to upgrade to then poke at find out just how severe the change was, and it was severe and probably worse than many expected. They burned a lot of fuses from 3.0.0 to 3.0.1 which was the first flag, but then we found out they changed all the keys, they recompiled everything, and slammed the door shut on smhax. And then bulldozed the house for good measure, if you'll allow me to stretch the analogy painfully far. Haha.

The key changes and everything that followed is going to be the biggest issue, though, because anything made post-3.0.1 will carry keys we won't know nor be able to use to decrypt. There's going to be a lot of work done on 3.0.0 or lower from now on because its an easy access point, but this means that any progress on 3.0.1 will be slowed. And 3.0.0 is going to exist as a walled-off ecosystem until someone manages to crack newer firmware to get new keys. No online. No games post 3.0.1. But emulators will be possible now.

Honestly, this is the smartest thing that nintendo has ever done (imo). They used a minor number in the update, and convinced people it was nothing serious.

But in all honesty, it was probably somebody from Hackerone who reported it.

 

[V-Temp]

Honestly, this is the smartest thing that nintendo has ever done (imo). They used a minor number in the update, and convinced people it was nothing serious.

But in all honesty, it was probably somebody from Hackerone who reported it.

It almost certainly was.

And yes, the ninja-roll out was very smart. Because the number of systems now left with this functionality are minuscule and growing smaller by the hour.

 

[thomasnet]

Nintendo's NERD department will have like most of their members fired

 

[Deleted User]

Nintendo's NERD department will have like most of their members fired

3DS had this problem too and wasn't fixed until FW 7.0. Could you imagine being responsible for that?

 

[AecdArmy]

3DS had this problem too and wasn't fixed until FW 7.0. Could you imagine being responsible for that?

I would not want to be responsible for that at all, you would get a good whack from the ninjas

 

[V-Temp]

Nintendo's NERD department will have like most of their members fired

Or they might get a raise if the entire scene freezes on 3.0.0.

 

[Deleted User]

Or they might get a raise if the entire scene freezes on 3.0.0.

you are already one of my favorites on this forum

 

[AecdArmy]

Or they might get a raise if the entire scene freezes on 3.0.0.

It most likely won't tho, people will always find a way into the system in this day and age

 

[Deleted User]

It most likely won't tho, people will always find a way into the system in this day and age

V-Temp made an excellent point though.

The key changes and everything that followed is going to be the biggest issue, though, because anything made post-3.0.1 will carry keys we won't know nor be able to use to decrypt. There's going to be a lot of work done on 3.0.0 or lower from now on because its an easy access point, but this means that any progress on 3.0.1 will be slowed. And 3.0.0 is going to exist as a walled-off ecosystem until someone manages to crack newer firmware to get new keys. No online. No games post 3.0.1. But emulators will be possible now.

 

[V-Temp]

It most likely won't tho, people will always find a way into the system in this day and age

Oh I post mostly in jest. No one will be fired for this and software vulnerabilities age like a fine wine sometimes.

But you need only browse of Reswitched's members' twitters to see more on what I mean about the focus shifting away from 3.0.1 and the headaches it now causes, and just working on the comfortable 3.0.0. 3.0.0 is a full sandbox, and for someone who just likes to crack systems and learn them out of curiosity...? Its a heavenly playground. Someone who wants ALL DA ROMS for their loader? Ehhh. I guess you can pirate four games and some eShop titles?

 

[Deleted User]

Honestly though, I just got gifted Sonic Mania, Super Mario Odyssey (preorder) and a pro controller (for my birthday a week and a half ago nobody noticed >: ( (i Jest)) so I really don't care. It would be great not to have to pirate ROMs to dig into them though.

 

[Smash Br0]

So, any Switches found in major stores currently will probably have 3.01 firmware or higher?

 

[ScarletLetter]

So, any Switches found in major stores currently will probably have 3.01 firmware or higher?

2.3.0 or lower

 

[Deleted User]

If I buy a Switch today and a copy of BotW to keep me occupied while homebrew is in development is there any way to go online and download the game's updates and DLC without updating to 3.01?

 

[ScarletLetter]

If I buy a Switch today and a copy of BotW to keep me occupied while homebrew is in development is there any way to go online and download the game's updates and DLC without updating to 3.01?

no

 

[Soluble]

If I buy a Switch today and a copy of BotW to keep me occupied while homebrew is in development is there any way to go online and download the game's updates and DLC without updating to 3.01?

No

Edit: beaten by a moment.

 

[V-Temp]

So, any Switches found in major stores currently will probably have 3.01 firmware or higher?

Current retail is 2.2.0 or 2.3.0 in the United States and Europe due to shipping logistics. So these units exist on old firmware but, be mindful, are quickly being sold to people who don't follow the scene so they are effectively "dead" for this interest.

Japan has likely already transitioned to patched hardware or will soon because shipping times from factory to retail are much shorter than the ship-freight times to the US/EU. The US/EU will catch up on FW in a few weeks.

 

[Deleted User]

no

No

This is the first time two people have answered a question of mine simultaneously.

 

[V-Temp]

This is the first time two people have answered a question of mine simultaneously.

To go a step further, you soon won't be able to buy software at retail that won't force you into 3.0.1 with a patch on the cart. Good luck.

 

[Deleted User]

To go a step further, you soon won't be able to buy software at retail that won't force you into 3.0.1 with a patch on the cart. Good luck.

this will only work for new releases. Old releases won't get this unless they have a revision