360 dash update fixed demo-disc exploit, too

23 Comments by Dan Choi Jan 30th 2006 7:46PM
Filed under: Hacks, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online

The Xbox 360 dashboard update released earlier today seemed like an innocent patch of annoying problems, but it looks like a stealth fix of the retail-kiosk demo-disc exploit so well-regarded by 360 hackers was included as well.

We knew that this automatic update seemed suspiciously devoid of content, but an escalation in the anti-hacker arms race was not exactly expected (nor officially announced). Could this be a sign of things to come?

[Thanks, Nushio & CapAmerica; via Slashdot]

Source

(Page 1) Reader Comments

Jon: Jan 30th 2006; 8:11PM

Yes it is true, I'm assuming microsoft was noticing that hackers were close to the answer of playing backups without a modchip because of their screw up. Now that kiosk disk is worthless. Unless we find a new solution to playing backups or even simple stuff like downloading demos and playing them, Microsoft has won the battle for now on piracy or even simple backup options.

jromz03: Jan 30th 2006; 8:17PM

So now, 360s will the old dash software will be a prized catch.

anybody know what was the exact nature of the hack? buffer overflow?

Arch: Jan 30th 2006; 8:19PM

hackers whould be all caught and sent to jail. i swear if i had a button that would send all of these low lives to jail i would press it. i dont give a damn if you have 50 kids or having sex with your wife at the momment. and i most certainly not care if there are hackers reading this at the momment.

Isewise: Jan 30th 2006; 8:35PM

Arch, you are such a flaming idiot!!

Jake: Jan 30th 2006; 8:51PM

@Arch
You do realize there are many positive aspects to hacking console hardware? ex: Homebrew development

Kream Pants: Jan 30th 2006; 8:57PM

Shut the hell up Arch. Learn to spell my friend.

Tim: Jan 30th 2006; 9:16PM

@2:
There was no complete hack or anything finished. Just an unlocked DVD from europe that people could burn.
Even if unpatched consoles were good for attempting to play backups, as soon as you popped in a new game (likely from february forward) it would just auto-patch the console anyway. So you'd be stuck with a (less than spectacular) launch lineup if you were to go the backup-via-this-exploit-route.

Me: Jan 30th 2006; 9:39PM

... until someone releases a homebrew that fakes the update on your system or loads an image of the system's OS from the hard drive that has the update.

Haven't you learned anything from the PSP homebrew scene?

nojok3: Jan 30th 2006; 9:44PM

It would have to be online in order to auto-patch

nojok3: Jan 30th 2006; 9:48PM

@8
You would need a way to get that on the 360. Whether it be via disc or maybe possiblily of loading a MCE App?

Me: Jan 30th 2006; 10:41PM

the way i see is the current state has weaknesses. you work with that weakness to load the necessary emulator software. Then whenever you wanted to connect to live or whatever, you connect with the image and Live cant tell the difference... Since it's an image of your machine and not a generic OS.

As for having to be online to auto-patch... Obviously you haven't learned from the PSP and Sony have you? Just include a force update with Oblivion so the game doesn't run unless you have the latest updates on your X360. Repeat with the latest titles.

jax sedrin: Jan 30th 2006; 10:50PM

That stupid update kicked me offline off the FFXI beta!!! I logged in to Xbox Live (no update screen) and then into FFXI and played for about a half hour... when right in the middle of a battle my screen goes black and 3 of the 4 lights on the front of the Xbox turn red. After I recovered from the heart attack that followed, I turned my Xbox back on (the lights returned to their normal healthy green), and it gave me the update Xbox Live screen.

Luckily I didn't lose any save game data (local or on the FFXI servers), so I don't really have much to complain about... still scared me to death though.

Nitin: Jan 31st 2006; 12:30AM

MS 1 - Hackers 0

Brian: Jan 31st 2006; 1:50AM

It would be easy for MS to require every game to carry the latest patch with it and not run unless it is installed. Then you would have to hack each backup to ignore the patch check AND you could never run a genuine product again. I think it's pretty hopeless. So, if you only want to use the 360 as a homebrew player, you're all set. Not very compelling to me.

mike: Jan 31st 2006; 4:32AM

you cant compare the PSP by which sony have very little idea of security to MS, they have implemented much much more security that the PSP

its been over two months an what has happened??? oh some can read a disk but it is still ENCRYPTED and SIGNED, so they have managed to read a DVD WOW!! ;-)

Tim: Jan 31st 2006; 8:01AM

@15:
Basically.

And yes, microsoft no doubt has a ridiculous number of things to fall back on to ensure that no exploit lasts very long. Dashboard updates are no doubt the least and most harmless of their arsenal.

Draco: Jan 31st 2006; 11:09AM

it will be a very long time though before the PS3 will be hacked,, I expect the revo to be hacked before it too, you simply cant make a Blu-Ray Disk at home like you can a DVD9

pennywise969: Jan 31st 2006; 12:17PM

It would be nice if microsoft could spend time working on new features and backward compatability emulators instead of combating hackers. The way I see it, hackers are a part of what is keeping me from enjoying new content.

tack: Jan 31st 2006; 12:50PM

"you simply cant make a Blu-Ray Disk at home like you can a DVD9"

That's was the same thinking when they released the PSX er PS One. No one can actually burn their own CD... (at the time burners were $1200-1400)

Draco: Jan 31st 2006; 3:05PM

@ Tack,

I guess your right, but Blu-ray to reach the 15 cents per disk like DVD's are now, its going to take probably the entire life of the system. would be nice if noone could EVER purchase a blu-ray burner though, like you cant buy a gamecube disk burner.

zombiejesus: Jan 31st 2006; 7:22PM

@Draco

what are you talking about gamecube uses normal mini dvds like the sony handicams or if you really wanted to you can get a gamecube modtop that allows you to use normal 4.7 dvds.

Raptor: Feb 1st 2006; 2:20PM

HAHA Well first off...I look at it this way. How many people actualy worked on making of the XBOX 360 systems? My guess no more then 20 IF THAT! But You look at how many people ON A GLOBEL SCALE!! Hundreds of thounds of people! So in due time. And on that not...If you wondering on if we could hang PS3? Well did you guys see this??? http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/26/samsung-sh-b022-blu-ray-burner-reviewer/ LOL! IN Due time my friends in due time.

sydneycarton: Feb 4th 2006; 3:21AM

Bugger hacker armsraces. Why aren't they putting their efforts towards making it so that I can play morrowind on my 360 before oblivion comes out? >:o

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