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 !

 

[RedBlueGreen]

According to the latest report, the banwave covers system 11.2-11.4, 9.x etc with cfw installed, interestingly, some of the devices without modifications also being banned.
So I guess:
1. Nintendo eShop Server currently not really able to detect which device is connected to the server. Especially freeShop fetch game data through cache server.
2. I checked my software list in eShop, all my pirate games from freeShop marked as 'Purchased'.
3. Nintendo can get your software list(titles), but HBL, FBI, freeShop..etc such software not available in eShop may not visible apparently.
4. It may possible Nintendo judge the potential illegal device by checking 'Frequency of User Buying game'. Since It's impossible for users to buy dozens of games in a short period. And check may also connect with your redeem records

For those who not yet been banned CFW Users
I suggest you:
1. Getting online as less as possible even you're using cartridge.
2. TURN OFF: All SpotPass related settings; 'Share Information with Nintendo' in Friend List; head to eShop and turn off sharing settings (like receive new game notifications..)
3. DO NOT play pirate games online!
4. Upgrade your 3DS with offline technique
5. NO CHEATING
6. DON'T PLAY LEAKED GAMES AND GAMES ORIGINALLY NOT AVAILABLE IN YOUR REGION!
7. Uninstall those illegal games (cross region) from your device

Cheating has nothing to do with it. Otherwise people who have cheated would be banned but some aren't.

Going through your first list:
1. This is likely true since you can get your downloaded games as .cia on PC with certain programs.
2. I believe this is because freeshop can check the title ID and get the actual ticket.
3. We don't know much about this.
4. I don't see this being a likely factor seeing as how people who don't pirate were banned, and people who pirate a ton of stuff haven't been banned.

It's likely not to do (at least directly) with Fire Emblem since people who don't play it were banned, and people who did pirate weren't banned. If it were because of it we would likely see the full online and eshop ban we saw with Sun and Moon.

Speculation is one thing, but we shouldn't be trying to draw conclusions from unconfirmed data.

 

[ShadowEO]

This is what I'm talking about right here - https://gbatemp.net/threads/warning-about-posting-possible-exploits.351160/ I am being constructive, I loved playing my pirated games online with the Wii, but those days are over, the newer consoles are easier for Nintedno to patch their security flaws, and when it's posted in an open forum why somebody didn't get banned that should have got banned that's bad for everybody. Guaranteed the next update is going to be a bad one for the hackers. And, if you happen to find out (in an open forum) why somebody skated thru the ban wave without getting banned then so will Nintendo and they wont be so lucky with the next ban wave.

I never said that it was good for anyone. Calm your rage. We cannot make any assumptions about Nintendo's internal infrastructure. We aren't Nintendo, and we've only seen what comes in/out of their servers, not how they actually work. It would be foolish to make any assumptions this early.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

According to the latest report, the banwave covers system 11.2-11.4, 9.x etc with cfw installed, interestingly, some of the devices without modifications also being banned.
So I guess:
1. Nintendo eShop Server currently not really able to detect which device is connected to the server. Especially freeShop fetch game data through cache server.
2. I checked my software list in eShop, all my pirate games from freeShop marked as 'Purchased'.
3. Nintendo can get your software list(titles), but HBL, FBI, freeShop..etc such software not available in eShop may not visible apparently.
4. It may possible Nintendo judge the potential illegal device by checking 'Frequency of User Buying game'. Since It's impossible for users to buy dozens of games in a short period. And check may also connect with your redeem records

For those who not yet been banned CFW Users
I suggest you:
1. Getting online as less as possible even you're using cartridge.
2. TURN OFF: All SpotPass related settings; 'Share Information with Nintendo' in Friend List; head to eShop and turn off sharing settings (like receive new game notifications..)
3. DO NOT play pirate games online!
4. Upgrade your 3DS with offline technique
5. NO CHEATING
6. DON'T PLAY LEAKED GAMES AND GAMES ORIGINALLY NOT AVAILABLE IN YOUR REGION!
7. Uninstall those illegal games (cross region) from your device

None of this is new information to this thread. A lot of this is also stuff we've already discussed hundreds of times over the week too. Not to mention that none of this is actually known, it's all still speculation. We as a community know nothing, and a majority are grasping at straws and presenting them as fact.

 

[time194]

Use ctr-httpwn and then you'll be able to check your Friends List without the 002-0119 error popping up.

Thanks completely forgot about ctr-httpwn. I had some trouble getting it to work had to turn off L2 cache and update the homebrew payload, looks like that one n3ds is still safe for now.

 

[dahoper88]

I haven't played with my 3ds for like 2 months or so because my charger for it was gone. i bought charger and checked 3ds cfw news and boom, this thing happening. i mostly play mk7 but am not going online now i wait for now. Am on 11.3 should i drop to 11.1? good luck for everyone who is not banned

 

[RedBlueGreen]

I haven't played with my 3ds for like 2 months or so because my charger for it was gone. i bought charger and checked 3ds cfw news and boom, this thing happening. i mostly play mk7 but am not going online now i wait for now. Am on 11.3 should i drop to 11.1? good luck for everyone who is not banned

I don't see that helping. We can't confirm if it only affects 11.2+ and 9.x, for all we know it could affect every exploitable firmware.

 

[ShadowEO]

I don't see that helping. We can't confirm if it only affects 11.2+ and 9.x, for all we know it could affect every exploitable firmware.

We've seen 11.4 and 11.3 users too, so it's safe to say it doesn't only affect them.

 

[Platinum Lucario]

Had a talk to a Nintendo Australia representative, they said that my console was banned due to unauthorised content and/or system modifications. They told me my ban was permanent. And I did explain that my system has never been modified or even have any unauthorised content. They said that there's nothing they can do about it. But I will send my New 3DS system over to them so they can check to see if there's any unauthorised software or hardware modifications on my system, with an appraisal fee.

They probably have made a mistake with my console and banned it by accident.

 

[RedBlueGreen]

Had a talk to a Nintendo Australia representative, they said that my console was banned due to unauthorised content and/or system modifications. They told me my ban was permanent. And I did explain that my system has never been modified or even have any unauthorised content. They said that there's nothing they can do about it. But I will send my New 3DS system over to them so they can check to see if there's any unauthorised software or hardware modifications on my system, with an appraisal fee.

They probably have made a mistake with my console and banned it by accident.

Did you buy used? It could have been modded before or had something like secure_info or the friend seeds dumped.

 

[dahoper88]

I don't see that helping. We can't confirm if it only affects 11.2+ and 9.x, for all we know it could affect every exploitable firmware.

cool, its a chance for me to practice single player than lol

 

[Platinum Lucario]

Did you buy used? It could have been modded before or had something like secure_info or the friend seeds dumped.

Nope, it was absolutely brand new when I first got it.

 

[Joel16]

Considering this is only a console ban and not an NNID ban. Isn't changing your serial (SecureInfo_A) enough to get unbanned?
Asking for a friend, because I miss playing MH with them.

 

[RedBlueGreen]

Nope, it was absolutely brand new when I first got it.

Yeah that's certainly strange. I think this could be the first case of an OFW console being hit (to my knowledge). I'm not really skeptical either since you wouldn't get anything by making it up.

 

[kittyk4y]

Considering this is only a console ban and not an NNID ban. Isn't changing your serial (SecureInfo_A) enough to get unbanned?
Asking for a friend, because I miss playing MH with them.

No.

 

[RedBlueGreen]

Considering this is only a console ban and not an NNID ban. Isn't changing your serial (SecureInfo_A) enough to get unbanned?
Asking for a friend, because I miss playing MH with them.

Nope. You need to inject a different friend seed or w/e.

 

[Joel16]

Ah great.
Someone here said they got unbanned by just changing their serial. I was hoping that would be the case, I guess not.

 

[Foxchild]

No CFW? It must be Luma which caused the banwave then..
Very strange that your "show last played games" was turned on. So everyone who has been banned had Luma installed?

No, sorry. I was running luma off the a9lh/boot9. Just never used freeshop etc. And I could have just been randomly lucky, but all four are still unbanned.

 

[Deleted User]

Ah great.
Someone here said they got unbanned by just changing their serial. I was hoping that would be the case, I guess not.

So they didn't get unbanned? Or are you talking about the serial being the case by which Nintendo is banning?

 

[Joel16]

So they didn't get unbanned? Or are you talking about the serial being the case by which Nintendo is banning?

The person said they got unbanned just by changing their serial. So I'm not sure, but maybe Nintendo's got your serial registered and bans your device from going online after having checked that serial. Just an assumption though, I could be completely wrong here.

 

[XDragon2688]

The person said they got unbanned just by changing their serial. So I'm not sure, but maybe Nintendo's got your serial registered and bans your device from going online after having checked that serial. Just an assumption though, I could be completely wrong here.

Looks worth checking into. Though probably should wait until this dies down

 

[linuxares]

48 hours later. 002-0102, so its either a longer ban or a permanent. So those in that Latino Facebook group was lying.
I have only removed all CIAs etc, so I don't have anything of that installed. I don't know if there is anyway to completely reset the system even the "hidden" part (PTM or ever it was called?). I however got my original nand backup so I could try to restore it, but I rather wait for another method than DSiware before I attempt anything like that.

I will however try a NTR plugin way to see if I can bypass the block.