WSJ: Xbox 360 is home of hacker hoedown

by Christopher Grant { May 31st 2006 at 1:45PM }

The illustrious Wall Street Journal sullied its white gloves while getting down and dirty with the Xbox 360 hacking scene yesterday. They profiled superstar hacker Bunnie Huang (he wrote Hacking the Xbox: An Introduction to Reverse Engineering) and his desire to duplicate his earlier success on the 360.

When Microsoft bragged about how hack-proof their console was, we wrote, "Going out of your way to boast about how hack-proof your next product is going to be is probably the only surefire way to get an army of hackers on your ass." Turns out we were right. Huang says of his motivation, "It's about overcoming the challenge Microsoft has set out there ... They've bragged about the security for the Xbox 360, so now it's like: Well, let's see."

While Huang hasn't had many successes himself, another 360 hacker (who goes by the hacker alias ~~"Acid Burn"~~ "The Specialist") has had a couple, exploiting the console's DVD-drive's firmware. Huang rightfully doesn't consider it a full decoding of the system, but acknowledges he might not be the one to do it either. "Things are different from a few years ago ... The stakes are higher for Microsoft and the hacking community has intensified its efforts."

Tags: Andrew Huang, AndrewHuang, Bunnie Huang, BunnieHuang, MSFT, MSM, The Specialist, TheSpecialist, Wall Street Journal, WallStreetJournal, WSJ

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

ihavenoideawhatisgoingon @ May 31st 2006 1:55PM

It took a little while for the original xbox to be hacked, but with all of the live functionality of the 360, i fear it may take a bit longer. the ability to remove the hdd however, could be nice when a hack does eventually come out!

Canadian Geese @ May 31st 2006 1:56PM

That 360 will be hacked, with mod kits available on llama.com, before we know it. However, once you hack your box, that box will not allow you to get on LIVE, so you'll have to go get an un-hacked 360 for LIVE gaming.

I'm curious to some of the hacks for the PS3. It is built on Linux, after all.

Brandon @ May 31st 2006 2:23PM

Old! Come on, this was in YESTERDAY'S paper!

In all seriousness, it was a good read and I'm sure others are interested to hear about Huang and others.

SuicideNinja @ May 31st 2006 2:24PM

Linux was available for the PS2 as well, but we never saw anything major from that. Using .elf's were where it was at apparently.

Personally, I'm more likely to mod a PS3 since the online is free. There's no fear in getting kicked off.

Derek @ May 31st 2006 2:25PM

So whats the point of hacking your console if you cant play on live? I mean if only to back up games, then yes, but only to be playable offline only? not worth it.

Billy Hansen @ May 31st 2006 2:28PM

Need I say this once more? Hackers are asses. Play a few games of Halo online or any PC game for that matter, and that statement will ring true. The majority of them do nothing more than ruin the gaming experience of others. "Dude, I can boost you up to a level 42!" Really? Wow. Can I please please please have your baby? How can hackers better serve the gaming society? Don't take you little creations online. Stay in your room, and leave the rest of us alone.

Moj3 @ May 31st 2006 2:41PM

XBMC: the reason I sacrificed Halo 2 multiplayer on live. Its that good.

TC @ May 31st 2006 2:46PM

Here is his response to the article....
http://www.xbox-scene.com/xbox1data/sep/EEuApuAZFuogSgaRGO.php

I modded my Xbox1 to get more functionality not piracy with the way that MSFT has incorporated so much of the functionaluty built in by the modding comunity for the original into the 360 they would really have to come up with something genuis to get me to mod a
360. I say "a" because XBL is such a driving force for me playing games I would not want to be banned for having a modified console. Did MSFT hire Ken Kutagri for as their publicist for the "Hacker Proof" console? Let's not also forget even with out that comment part of the fun in hacking the 360 to these "hackers" is also to stick it to Microsoft.

glitched @ May 31st 2006 2:47PM

Mr. Billy Hansen

The article is about hardware hackers. not game hackers. A console modified to play copied games usually cant play online so usually cant "ruin the gameing experience of others" Get your info strait Sir.

C. Grant @ May 31st 2006 2:48PM

Billy: getting the system to run unsigned code is much different than the Halo h4x0rz. They cheat mostly by using PCs as go-betweens so they can control access to matches, and other players lag.

jaemz @ May 31st 2006 3:10PM

"Once a month, Mr. Huang also meets with other local hackers, including an 18-year-old whose goal is to play Apple Computer Inc.'s software on the Xbox 360."

I definately against hacking for pirating purposes, but OSX on my Xbox360 would be very cool with it's 3 cores.

OSX360... I love how that sounds.

Tush @ May 31st 2006 3:56PM

To #5,

Be very careful when you stereotype, my friend. Not all hackers are asses.

Razer @ May 31st 2006 4:36PM

"I definately against hacking for pirating purposes, but OSX on my Xbox360 would be very cool with it's 3 cores."

Please don't be a hypocrite. Running OSX on your 360 is piracy just like running games. I just love how people narrow their view when it's something they want.

I say bring the hacking on! I don't want it to effect the Live experience and I think the hacking we are seeing now doesn't. Anything to combat the $60 price tag for games now, geesh talk about screwing consumers.

jaemz @ May 31st 2006 4:56PM

Maybe I am wrong, but I don't see it is pirating when I install a new copy of OSX on a new HDD for my X360... all of which are mine.

To me, pirating is copying discs so I don't have to pay full price.

Mr. Nosuch @ May 31st 2006 5:49PM

#13, it is piracy to copy the software in the Mac ROMs, which is needed for OS X to work. Apple will sell you a license for OS X, but they won't sell you a license for the ROMs.

So yes, it is piracy, technically.

Zero Cool @ May 31st 2006 6:58PM

Nice reference to "Hackers" Christopher. We're nerds.

jaemz @ May 31st 2006 7:37PM

Really though, it is not that different than the contest to get WinXP running on the Intel Macs. It was cool that some guys got it working, and cool that Apple released the BootCamp.

Maybe I am just hoping that somthing simple like: install OSX loaded HDD and pop a special DVD into the X360 and it will boot into MacOS... take that HDD off, put the old one back on, and reboot into X360.

Ivan_PSP @ May 31st 2006 8:31PM

Soon Xbox 360 will be able to get virus i can`t wait until this glory day.

John H,. @ May 31st 2006 8:54PM

This is beautiful.

Joe Smith @ Jun 1st 2006 1:31AM

There is nothing noble about this stuff. All it does is end up costing the publishers, developers, and platfrom holders time and money and in the long run, it hurts consumers. As an intellectual puzzle, it may be fascinating and challenging, but it ends up enabling theft. Mr. Huang would be better off if he put his admittedly high-powered brain and skils toward something useful.

X GATECRASHER X @ Jun 1st 2006 3:16AM

I like the way my 360 works now, and renting games (3-at-a-time for $17/mo.) is so cheap who would need to pirate them. I like the way the dashboard works on my 360, and I like the way Tiger works on my computer, but I see no need to mix them. I would hate to have some make-shift sketchy BIOS running on my 360 just so I could boot freeware. Makes no sense to me, when you have such great hardware and software already, not to mention Live functionality.

Austin @ Jun 1st 2006 10:03AM

Well I sure am happy that a few peoples' need for a feeling of accomplishment is costing me money. I wonder how much of the cost for the security in the next gen systems is being passed onto the consumer, hummm I would bet all of it. So to the hackers who make my pockets a little lighter this year "F U buddy".