Nintendo Switch: Fail0verflow confirm boot exploit works on all existing units, no release announce
A few weeks ago, hacking team fail0verflow demonstrated they have a boot exploit on the Nintendo Switch. This is different from the upcoming 3.0.0 homebrew platform that was recently announced by Derrek et.al.
Today, Fail0verflow have given more details on that exploit, by confirming that it cannot be patched by Nintendo on existing models. In other words, all currently produced Nintendo Switch consoles are vulnerable to this hack and exploitable, and although Nintendo could potentially fix existing models (after the hack is disclosed) without a hardware revision, they apparently wouldn’t be able to release a patch online.
In case it wasn’t obvious, our Switch coldboot exploit:
* Is a bootrom bug
* Can’t be patched (in currently released Switches)
* Doesn’t require a modchip to pull offhttps://t.co/LLadlEmm44— fail0verflow (@fail0verflow) January 16, 2018
However, Fail0verflow have not provided any release date for the hack. It’s actually very possible that they have no intention to release anything. In the past, Fail0verflow have been very careful to distance themselves from any release that could lead to piracy. For example for the PS4, they released patches in order to run Linux on the console about ayear ago, but without the kernel exploits required to actually run unsigned code. Late in 2016, they gave details on a kernel exploit for firmware 4.05, but that had been patched a long time ago by Sony, and not applicable to the latest firmware.
Therefore it would be a dramatic change of direction form Fail0verflow if they released this exploit. One scenario I could imagine is if some other group breaches the console’s latest firmware (for example Team Xecuter have promised a Nintendo Switch modchip to come for Spring), at which point Fail0verflow might feel it’s ethically ok to release their own.
Fail0verflow are dicks!
Please come out soon. I don’t want to buy any games and omit want to download free stolen ones. First!!!
First
First for the first time :))))
rip
Nope.
I bet that they will release the exploit soon after team Xecuter start making money with their modchip.
Cool, I guess. Still got Team Xecutor’s solderless option. Don’t care for devs who brag and don’t release.
It’s about keeping those who want to profit from piracy in check. Basically putting them on notice that, hey, you won’t likely make much money so don’t bother being scummy.
fully agree
Yup, annoying. I will probably get one too for the same reason. I would like it more if they didn’t do it for the money and just released it, but that’s the lesser of two evils. At least they deliver.
Homebrew on the switch is awesome, but some people (also plutoo) seem to miss the point that I want to keep playing current games as well as Homebrew AND develop and reverse. Which will always need a new FW and another one (or a heavy modded one), so it isn’t detected. If big N would allow us access, we don’t need to hack around it, but since they don’t, it is clear what needs to come, so that I have retroarch on my NSW and can play Bayonetta 3 🙂
Nasty ego elitism. Long ago I actually learned stuff from their blog-posts … If they released their stuff we would probably be able to learn from it. But no, we are supposed to “follow”, “clap” and basically bow before their greatness, that’s it.
Worst are the people who consistently defend them because of their skills.
Can’t wait to see what they are up to !
If they do decide no to release it, its exactly what I said earlier. I hate these people who only do this stuff for attention. I sooner would respect someone who releases something even if it means paying a fee to pull off, rather than someone who would have released something for free in all intents and purposes, but did not release it.
First! Thank God for team executer! Play all the newest games on the newest fw and waot until Spring for homebrew and gamezz
First! Great news for homebrew, bad news for piracy.
Fail0verflow = attention whores
I do hate when people say they have an exploit for a system and don’t release it but yet they show it off. I mean, I guess its just a way of saying “hey look, it can be done”…but to me it reminds me of Eddie Murphy’s Ice Cream skit….where he’s talking about a kid having ice cream and rubbing it in to other kids…
I am ready to sail the high seas, but these devs are holding my ship hostage in the port.
Fake news
I’d much rather have an easy solution that may cost a little bit. Zero respect for these guys and their tactics. Attention seeking whores.