It appears that users are being banned from 3DS online services, en masse. There's no direct cause right now, and seemingly no linking factor. This post is meant as an announcement for users, to be wary, and that GBAtemp will keep you updated as soon as more info rolls in. If you have been banned, please post in the thread below, and we will try to keep tabs on the situation. To be extra sure, it can't hurt to turn off your 3DS's wireless capabilities, so you might as well do that for now.

Edit 1: it appears that e-Shop access isn't restricted if you are banned.

Edit 2: A caller to Nintendo reported that the company said this ban is due to "unauthorized software usage".

Edit 3: @LinkSoraZelda is collecting info. Contact him if you are banned.

Edit 4: Click and fill this out if you were BANNED.

Edit 5:

[11:28:19 PM] Clector: Curiously the page of that error in Nintendo Support website used to have this:Error Code: 002-0102 Situation: You receive the error code 002-0102 when attempting to connect online. What to Do: If you continue to experience this issue, please contact Nintendo by calling 1-800-255-3700. Representatives are available from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., Pacific Time, 7 days a week.
[11:28:44 PM] Clector: Now it says this: What to Do: If you are experiencing this error code, your Nintendo 3DS family system has been banned due to unauthorized system modifications, play of unauthorized versions of one or more games, and/or connecting to the official game servers in violation of our terms of service. This ban is effective immediately and requests to remove the ban will not be processed.

Thanks to @Joom

Edit 6: Aurora Wright is taking another poll here

Edit 7: Not a lot is known but

There are bans happening, they are happening in all regions.
All models in the 3ds family seem to be candidates for banning.
There is no indication they will be anything other than permanent.
A game or DLC may end up being a cause but there is no one game or DLC that ties banned users together.
The cause or causes are as yet unknown, though it does seem to be related to modifications. Reports of unmodified consoles being banned are as yet unproven.
The banning is tied to something you can modify, thus you can unban. Doing it while the causes are unknown is likely only going to burn a working token though.
There are semi public tokens out there, Nintendo knows how to browse a forum as well as you so don't be surprised if they also get banned.
It does not seem to be limited to a given base firmware version, it does not seem to be limited to any one custom firmware type. There is some speculation that older hacking methods are not being hit as hard but nothing to confirm this yet.
The data collection could have happened this morning, or it could have been months in the making.
A simple check to see is checking your friends list, by itself it will not ban you.
Some are turning their wifi off. It is doubtful this will be of much use and being banned does not seem to come with any downsides that wifi being off will not also mimic.
You may have escaped a ban thus far but it could happen at any point. It could be that they stop in the future, it has happened on other consoles, but you would be living in hope rather than any particularly well founded logic.
The bans are done on the side of Nintendo's servers rather than your 3ds so there is also that.

If you hack your devices/games then their online functionality may be troubled. This has been known for decades, Nintendo seems to have finally caught up with that.

Please continue to share information with the thread or the links in previous edits.

Update 5/30

HOW TO HELP AVOID BANS (we think)​

If I was to guess from the information we have gathered since the ban wave, it seems likely that they are looking for TitleIDs that don't exist. Homebrew shows up in the activity log as the Download Play app, and fake CIA's show up as just ??????. That last one is what I'm guessing they are looking for.

If you are not banned yet or before you unban yourself, go into your friends list, choose settings, and turn off the option to "show friends what game you are playing." This will prevent you from playing games online with friends, so turn it back on when you wanna game with someone, but ALWAYS keep it off when running custom CIAs. Next, go into system settings -> internet settings -> spotpass, and turn off BOTH options. One is auto download software, the other sends system information to Nintendo. Also, make sure you don't have your favorite title set to something stupid like FBI or any other non-Nintendo CIA.

Its VERY likely that these options are what tipped off Nintendo, but we aren't 100% certain yet. The amount of banned people that had one of these options turned on was over 80% for each. If I was to assume that some of those people overlap, its very possible (but not confirmed) that 100% of banned people in the survey had at least one of those options turned on. I personally had all of them off and I have TONS of reasons for Nintendo to ban me.... yet I am not banned (yet).

Another bit of advice: Only run custom CIAs when offline, and after you close them, run a "legit" game like Smash Bros. or something before shutting down or going back online. This way your most recent title won't show up as a fake CIA

Current Theories as to what causes a ban
​

* SpotPass Settings: 8 users out of 46 users that were banned have SpotPass completely shut off, or SpotPass only (no friends list visibility)
* Firmware Version (Luma, Nintendo): Literally all reports ranged from 10.2+, I can get exact numbers for this if you'd like, but all firmwares were affected.
* Firmware Type (A9LH, B9S): 44 of the 126 B9S users that answered were banned, pattern was mirrored for A9LH users as well.
* Homebrew Titles such as FBI, HBL, Luma Updater, Themely, and freeShop: Literally about 98% of users both banned and unbanned had some combination of these applications installed. However the common ones were: FBI, HBL, LumaUpdater and NTR.
* Save Modification: Equal amounts of users on both sides have reported save modification in some form, either with PKSM or another save editor
* System Transfers: 188 users said that they had not previously system transfered, 61 of those users were banned; 16 users said they transferred from a hacked console, only three of them received a ban; 13 said they transferred from a stock system and likewise were banned. The rest of our sample did not answer this question.
* Activity Log Information: A majority of those who have not been banned have said they had NOT cleaned their activity logs. I can get exact numbers for this too on request.

This information is just what I've found. Like I said, there could be variables or things we haven't even checked for yet. But these are things that I feel should be disproven, at least with the current dataset we have.

• From the information that we've gathered from some people that have used a packet sniffer such as WireShark, the following data is sent to Nintendo's online gaming servers as soon as the 3DS connects to the internet:
  • Amount of time spent online (timer stops when either the system is disconnected from the internet, or connection drops out, then starts the timer again in a new session when it reconnects to the internet).
  • The game being played and amount of time spent on it during that session.
  • The console's unique hexadecimal ID used in the LocalFriendCodeSeedB, along with it's RSA-signed signature.
  • The console's serial number in which is broadcasted from the SoC and is hard coded in the SoC.
  • Friend Code generated on the Nintendo 3DS system, if one has been generated.
  • Internet connection status (either online or offline).
  • The Nintendo Network ID, if there is one linked to it.
  • Even if the sending of SpotPass Information is switched off, or even hiding your currently playing games. It does not prevent the system from sending currently playing information to Nintendo's online gaming servers, it only hides it from your friends in your friend list (like being invisible on the forum, while mods and admins can still see you). Why? Because even people without a Friend Code on their system have been getting banned too!

• The following data is NOT sent to Nintendo's online gaming servers:
  • The data from the Nintendo 3DS's Activity Log. Oddly enough, while Nintendo does explicitly state that they collect Activity Log data, they're actually referring to their own server's Activity Log, which always tracks every console's online activity, and keeps a record of them that is stored forever. And is only collected in increments of data through a timer and a currently playing list.
    
  • Games or apps that have not been played, regardless if they're legitimate or not. You only get tracked when you're online and using that game or app.
  • Using games or apps while offline. Even though it is stored on the 3DS console's Activity Log, that data is NOT sent to Nintendo's online gaming servers.
  • Custom Firmware. Though we can't rule out the possibility of them releasing a 3DS update in the future that adds such function to collect MD5 hashes of files and FIRM data and send them to Nintendo online gaming servers (which would also be updated in a maintenance).

• Things that people think what happens with consoles, but really doesn't:
  • "LocalFriendCodeSeedB is transferred to the system upon doing a system transfer". This is false, the LocalFriendCodeSeedB remains on the system and does not move to another system.
  • "The console generates a LocalFriendCodeSeedB upon first startup". Again, this is false, the LocalFriendCodeSeedB is made during the manufacturing process at Foxconn. It is generated at the factory, flashed to the NAND flash memory storage, then created as an account on Nintendo's online gaming server and Nintendo eShop server immediately when being manufactured. It is absolutely impossible to generate a LocalFriendCodeSeedB and be able to connect to Nintendo's online gaming server and/or Nintendo eShop server, even if you knew the RSA generation key for it. You'd end up with Error Code 002-0102 "This console's online services have been restricted by Nintendo" if you even tried (the error can either mean two things: The hexadecimal ID doesn't exist on the server, or the request to access the hexadecimal ID has been denied which in other words... banned). So a LocalFriendCodeSeedB generator will NEVER happen! Because it's not worth doing, if it can't connect.
  • Switching off "Currently Playing" information. Once again, this does not hide your online activity from Nintendo's online gaming server, it only hides it from your friends.
  • Switching off SpotPass. Nope, this too doesn't hide your online activity from Nintendo's online gaming server, it only opts-out of receiving SpotPass data, sorry.

So pretty much the bottom line is, if anyone has been using custom apps and/or titles not installed through Nintendo eShop while online in the past, guess what? You're screwed! And it is only a matter of time before your console's unique hexadecimal ID in the LocalFriendCodeSeedB is banned from Nintendo's online gaming server. This will mean, your console can't access the Friend List or play any online functions in games.

If you have been online while using custom apps and/or titles not installed through Nintendo eShop and haven't been banned yet, that's because Nintendo hasn't caught up to you yet. They're still going through each unique hexadecimal ID's Activity Log on their server, and by Activity Log, I mean the Activity Log on their server, not the 3DS console's activity log. And it will be only a matter of time before you're banned too.

Thanks to @Platinum Lucario @MadMageKefka and @ShadowEO !

 

[Reaga]

Eshop purchases have nothing to do with it. I got hit with the banwave during the Pokemon Sun and Moon launch and I had a ton of eshop purchases. Now I can't even access the eshop anymore. I was able to unban myself from online play but I can never use the eshop on my 3DS again.

That was a different ban-wave with a different type of ban.

 

[Tzuba]

That was a different ban-wave with a different type of ban.

My point is Nintendo doesn't care whether or not you bought games on the eshop as evidenced before. Why would they suddenly care now?

 

[JoycieC]

My point is Nintendo doesn't care whether or not you bought games on the eshop as evidenced before. Why would they suddenly care now?

Completely different reasoning behind the ban.
I believe that ban was because everyone was playing a pirated copy that leaked before release date, which is the fault of the player alone so you can't really say Nintendo doesn't care whether you buy their games on the eShop or not, they strictly targeted users who specifically pirated and played their latest game early. Not to mention that anyone playing the game early is almost a sure indicator that they have a pirated copy.

Please correct me if I'm wrong or have my information mixed.

This ban however does not directly target people who have stolen a copy of a game and played it online early, this is targeting an audience of homebrew enthusiasts that have easy access to piracy via FreeShop, CIAngel and more.

Nintendo said no to FreeShop in the form of a takedown I believe, I would go as far as to say that homebrew such as that which give even the most uninformed of users extremely easy access to piracy was one of the deciding factors in banning those of us who run CFW, whether we use FreeShop or not. I recall seeing several threads on GBATemp where users have had their children under the age of 10 follow 3ds.guide to modify their system, so if a child can have such easy access to the latest Pokémon game for free then it is of no surprise that action will and has been taken against a number of (seemingly) lottery picked users.

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EDIT - added missing text
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The only reason I considered the possibility that it could be linked to eShop purchases is because 7/8 systems I have access to all purchased content from the eShop and are not banned whereas the one that did get banned has not purchased anything. Reasonable thinking in my books.

It is a shame as I was hoping we could find some sort of grounds for what may have been a deciding factor in bans.
All of my listed 1-8 were in the UK but I'm unsure if that really changes the matter much.

 

[sleepymanakete]

I believe that ban was because everyone was playing a pirated copy that leaked before release date, which is the fault of the player alone so you can't really say Nintendo doesn't care whether you buy their games on the eShop or not, they strictly targeted users who specifically pirated and played their latest game early. Not to mention that anyone playing the game early is almost a sure indicator that they have a pirated copy.

Sun and Moon ban happened if you went online before the game came out. Even people with the game carts got ban.

 

[Osakasan]

Did anyone who got banned buy anything from the eShop?

Everyone I know so far that got a ban didn't purchase anything, whereas those who did (myself included) did not get banned.
My partner recently did a system transfer from an O3DSXL to a n3DSXL just before this fiasco started, the O3DSXL is not banned but the n3DSXL did get banned (as her eShop purchases were technically done on the O3DSXL). Her n3DSXL is now unbanned using the old one's seed.

I was banned, and i've been buying from the eShop even after installing the freeshop. My last purchase was 3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2, during the Sonic sale here in EU.

 

[Elveman]

Can someone test if two people with same LFCS_B can be online at the same time in the same game (Pokemon SM, for example)?

 

[Platinum Lucario]

I'm pretty sure there was a case in where the purchaser of the console, owns the console and no business can have the right to control over what the person does to their own console, as I've heard from some case. Though, it's a little sneaky that they can still have something into their ToS to actually prohibit any unauthorised content to give them a reason to block a console from accessing their servers, just because they have unauthorised content on their console. I mean really, the user wasn't doing anything to disrupt the service or cheat in online multiplayer, were they? That's almost like saying "you must comply with the dress code or else you're not allowed in".

And honestly, why a permanent ban? Why can't it be temporary? No one in the ban wave disrupted the services, nor did they cheat in online multiplayer. All they did, was mostly enjoying what they could do that normally isn't found on a Nintendo 3DS system. Most of them did not infringe on any copyrights, or any trademarks. So like, wow, that's really harsh, almost like criminalising people for just being different from everyone else.

If they banned you by mistake, call them up. Since you're apparently completely innocent you should be unbanned with ease since it was all a mistake.
Sorry if I'm coming off as a dick but either they made a mistake you could have easily cleared up or you're lying and you did break their TOS

Yep, I have contacted them, and I did contact them again today. And they are certain that I have unauthorised content on my SD Card, but the thing is, I never did. So either they're denying that they made a mistake, or my SD Card might have been faulty one way or another. I'm pretty sure they banned me by mistake, 'cause my Cosmos Black 3DS has lots of unauthorised content on it, but never got banned. But my White New 3DS got banned and didn't have any unauthorised content on it. So perhaps they were meaning to ban my Cosmos Black 3DS, but accidentally banned my White New 3DS instead? I'm sure they made a mistake, but they just won't admit it.

Anyways, my good White New 3DS console, that I never even modified, is permanently banned, and there is nothing I can do about it. Because it's banned, I just really don't feel like playing video games anymore, it's just how I feel about it. I just really can't do anything about it. My NNID (which isn't banned) is connected to the White New 3DS, but I can't change the LocalFriendCodeSeed_B because the NNID won't be able to be transferred to another system. Also, I would lose all of my purchase history on the White New 3DS, along with the purchase history tied to the NNID if I unlinked it. And even linking it to a different system wouldn't transfer any purchase history tied to the NNID, meaning it will be lost forever.

So I'm stuck in a rock and a hard place, which is why I have decided, that it's time for me to call it quits on all things gaming.

But hey, I'm not alone on this case, I've actually heard there's other people that also got banned in which haven't even modified their system, nor have any unauthorised content on their system. So it might be a case in where Nintendo just selected a few thousand consoles at random (regardless as to whenever or not they had unauthorised software or modifications) and banned them to send out a message, which would not have deterred anyone anyways.

 

[hellionz]

Can someone test if two people with same LFCS_B can be online at the same time in the same game (Pokemon SM, for example)?

im presume you can, because hundreds users use the same public localseed and its not reported bans about it

greetings

 

[Platinum Lucario]

Can someone test if two people with same LFCS_B can be online at the same time in the same game (Pokemon SM, for example)?

im presume you can, because hundreds users use the same public localseed and its not reported bans about it

greetings

Yep, it's entirely possible. Just like using the public headers on the 3DS ROM files.

Though I'm not sure if the Nintendo eShop purchase history would change completely after injecting the LFCS_B, I don't think anyone has looked into that yet.

 

[jockep]

I came to this idea when I considered that out of 8 systems only one of them has received a ban, that one being my partner's n3DSXL which is the most recent one and technically never bought anything from the eShop (its content came from System Transfer) whereas the others have.

Out of all the connections between us this is the one to stand out the most and I'm surprised this sort of question hasn't been asked before.

#1 - O3DS - Not banned / Has eShop Purchase
#2 - O3DS - Not banned / Has eShop Purchase
#3 - O3DS - Not banned / Has eShop Purchase
#4 - O3DSXL - Not banned / Has eShop Purchase
#5 - O3DSXL - Not banned / Has eShop Purchase
#6 - 2DS - Not banned / Has eShop Purchase
#7 - n3DS - Not banned / Has eShop Purchase (Content also came from #1)
#8 - n3DSXL - Banned / Has no eShop Purchase (Content came from System Transfer, unbanned using #4 Seed)

Perhaps if others could chime in it might help answer some questions.

I suppose if you look at it from this perspective it might make sense:

Nintendo has a clear list of every console that has unauthorised content on it, of which they filter the list to those who have and have not purchased content from the eShop.

After filtering said list, all of those who have not purchased content from the eShop prior to the use of unauthorised content are likely never to purchase content from the eShop due to the ease of use and availability of applications such as FreeShop, thus those consoles are banned from online services on a non-negotiable stance.

Mine didn't get banned and it's a N3DSXL with no eshop purschases so would be surprised if that's it.

 

[Platinum Lucario]

Mine got banned, and it certainly had plenty of Nintendo eShop purchases. So it really doesn't have anything to do with how much the person has purchased. It's possible that it was just they selected thousands of people at random and permanently banned them when they heard about B9S being released alongside sighax, just as a way to deter people from modifying their system. There's even some people with CFW and unauthorised software, as well as unpaid software that never got banned.

 

[gnmmarechal]

Mine got banned, and it certainly had plenty of Nintendo eShop purchases. So it really doesn't have anything to do with how much the person has purchased. It's possible that it was just they selected thousands of people at random and permanently banned them when they heard about B9S being released alongside sighax, just as a way to deter people from modifying their system. There's even some people with CFW and unauthorised software, as well as unpaid software that never got banned.

B9S IS an implementation of SigHax afaik.

 

[Father Crilly]

Nintendo are probably watching this forum laughing at people trying to figure out their algorithm.

I don't believe this has anything to do with purchases, as the ban is linked to the console and NOT the NNID (I think). My 3DS has custom firmware and shit and I have never purchased anything on it. It hasn't been banned.

I strongly believe that this ban wave is intended to deter other people from installing CFW and only a certain number of guilty users were banned. Banning CFW users from playing online isn't going to stop them from pirating stuff. This ban wave isn't a prevention of piracy, it's a deterrent.

 

[TinchoX]

Just a quick question, as I don't want to fish through almost 500 pages for the answer.

Did anyone who got banned buy anything from the eShop?

Everyone I know so far that got a ban didn't purchase anything, whereas those who did (myself included) did not get banned.
My partner recently did a system transfer from an O3DSXL to a n3DSXL just before this fiasco started, the O3DSXL is not banned but the n3DSXL did get banned (as her eShop purchases were technically done on the O3DSXL). Her n3DSXL is now unbanned using the old one's seed.

My apologies if this has been covered before, just thought I'd ask as it's the only link I've found amongst my friends.

Well my O3DS had digital games I actually bought when it was brand new, then I made a transfer once I got my hands on a N3DS.
Weird thing is, my O3DS remains unbanned (still), yet my N3DS got the hammer.
If they forgive those who made purchases online (eShop) then it means they are keeping track somehow, probably by whitelisting N3DS' serial number or something?
Unlikely though...

 

[Reaga]

Well my O3DS had digital games I actually bought when it was brand new, then I made a transfer once I got my hands on a N3DS.
Weird thing is, my O3DS remains unbanned (still), yet my N3DS got the hammer.
If they forgive those who made purchases online (eShop) then it means they are keeping track somehow, probably by whitelisting N3DS' serial number or something?
Unlikely though...

We've had people get hit who had purchases. So far the best theory is scare tactics to prevent some uses of CFW, and maybe encourage uninstallation.

I'm still unbanned despite freely being online with illegal CIAs, and I hadn't even heard of the wave until Monday after it was over. And they went out and told everyone who asked that it was due to unauthorized software.

It's not exactly a smoking gun, but so far it's the only thing that hasn't been debunked by counter-cases

 

[Vithimiris]

As someone who is a long time cheater and someone who has fought with the company FromSoftware/Bandai Namco for scumming it up in Dark Souls 3. Maybe my info here can be helpful. Mind you I have no clue on how Nintendo functions their banwaves. But if it's something similar to Bandai/Namco then we may be in luck.

So a lot of players on PC Dark Souls cheated a ton using Cheat Engine. The way it worked was you would load up Cheat Engine put on your cheats and go to down. However Bandai began handing out warnings to people for having "Invalid Data." As seen here.

If you continued to play with it, you would be banned.- http://i.imgur.com/kKffX8N.png Seen here.

How does this connect you ask? Well let me give you what my team of scripters have summarized from roughly an entire year's worth of data.

When you use Cheat Engine you're modifying the game's variable's. During the time when you play Dark Soul's and you rest at a Bonfire the game Auto Save's at the Bonfire for you. However it also sends a copy to task force over at Bandai. They then take that data and bounce it off your last "legit" file. From what we came up with, they find the invalid flags, and mark them. Then they one of two choices. Either shoot you a warning or they ban you for having the invalid data. How does this connect to the 3DS? Well this is my theory.

When you get a 3DS you have to give it an ID when you unbox it. The firmware is your "Auto Save." So to speak. Purchases made from the E-Shop I reckon contain transaction data from the eShop vendor itself. When you "update" your CFW to the newest firmware that copy is sent to Nintendo where they then scan the account for invalid data flags. Regardless of whether or not you've made a legit purchase, that slides through I would imagine. Invalid data such at CIA's and CFW (Boot9strap) causes their data to send up a red flag. They then compile that data and shoot out ban waves based on the amount of people who match the criteria for invalid data. So the long and short of it is, I imagine Nintendo is checking people's last legit usage time and comparing it to the time before they went into CFW/CIA's and then reflect it and boom, you show up on their radar.

In Dark Soul's a counter measure was to create a script that blocked the Auto-Save function when you rested at a Bonfire. So the invalid data you currently have never got saved, therefore your save never refreshed itself and updated to the invalid data state for them to see. However the downside to this was if you wanted to progress you had to play it in one sitting or when you loaded the save back up it would revert back to your last legit data, which would be the copy that Bandai Namco has on file.

There may be specific things that cause 3DS's to get flagged. For Dark Soul's it was modifying your HP/Soul Level/Attributes. Warping to Bonfire's you hadn't unlocked yet in the storyline, giving weapons stats they normally wouldn't have or giving them an element they we're never supposed to be able to obtain. Shit like that. For the 3DS I reckon it could be getting a hold of a game before it's intended release time. Taking it online before it's even out. Getting the DLC before it's released, etc etc. The beat goes on.

This is what I think. What about the rest of you?

 

[Ferras2]

Actually its safe use Freeshop?

 

[hurrz]

Actually its safe use Freeshop?

Nothing is safe / confirmed / 100 % sure.

 

[Zeroexe90]

Take precautions, maybe another banwave is coming?

 

[RustInPeace]

Take precautions, maybe another banwave is coming?

View attachment 93122

Monday one is quite regular, the Tuesday one however is peculiar. Hmm?