Hacking How do 3DS Linkers work (?)

OptimusDark

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Hello,

I red a lot of things about 3DS linker especially the Gateway which seems to have basic internal functioning. Indeed, they based the whole think on exploits to circumvent Nintendo's protection and authorize access of their linker into the system. The 4.5 firmware version exploit (and now 9.2 ninjax exploit but without emunand) allowed people to understand and reverse engineer the security protections of all firmware (using emunand to allow access to subsequent protection systems : ie new keys or additional security checks).

But how the Sky3DS works make me more sceptical...
As far as I can understand, the linker needs some sort of blueprints for every game (ie encryption or decryption key ? contained in the template file) so that the 3DS system can authenticate the cartridge of a specific game. I think the binaries of the games are stored encrypted into the Nintendo original cartridges; the 3DS system contains the list of all decryption key so that all games can be launched.

What is totally pointless for gateway linker (since all security are bypassed by the exploit), is mandatory without a kernel exploit. Thus, Sky3DS truly emulates a genuine cartridge and passes all security checks (even on the last piracy revised firmware 9.4).

So let's come to the sceptical part...
Since gateway team is supposed to be the leaders in the 3DS scene (they brought a lot of features and innovation since few months), why can't they do the same think as Sky 3DS ? They have also all access to firmware internal files, and should be able to found these de/encryption keys for each game and update the gateway to operate the same way as the sky3DS.
And last but not least, if the sky3DS is able to emulate a cartridge and since there will always be internal access to subsequent firmware version, How Nintendo will be able to block it ? since you will have the ability to modify the behaviour of the linker accordingly... In the best case (or worse depending on the point of view), they will only be able to implement new security patterns in future games cartridge (but again emunand access is not so far for indiscretion).

If someone has a different theory or fact please share...
 

DinohScene

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Why do french people call flashcards linkers?

Frenchies are the only people that use Octet instead of Byte.
Then again, English is the only language where Pineapple isn't Ananas (or something similar)
 

kyogre123

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Frenchies are the only people that use Octet instead of Byte.
Then again, English is the only language where Pineapple isn't Ananas (or something similar)

Well, that's really weird... Also, in Spanish Pineapple is Piña, which is not any closer to "Ananas".
 

osaka35

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Since gateway team is supposed to be the leaders in the 3DS scene (they brought a lot of features and innovation since few months), why can't they do the same think as Sky 3DS ?

Because they're only people. They're not some business, they're a few people (I'm not sure of the specifics). They have limited time and resources. Think about all the things you could be doing in your daily life. You could be learning a second or third language, getting in shape, learning a new musical instrument, go to college, etc, etc. So why don't you do all those things, especially if you're more than capable of doing them?

They probably also have other lives and this is their side project. It's all about priorities and focusing on making quality work, and working on "would be nice" stuff when you have time. Stretch your resources too thin and you start making shoddy stuff. That, and I'm sure it's just a tiny bit more complicated than adding just a bit of code :P
 

Idaho

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Since gateway team is supposed to be the leaders in the 3DS scene (they brought a lot of features and innovation since few months), why can't they do the same think as Sky 3DS ? They have also all access to firmware internal files, and should be able to found these de/encryption keys for each game and update the gateway to operate the same way as the sky3DS.

Who the fuck care about those pesky flashcards that don't even feature region free/homebrews/cheats ? Those things aren't the real thing and I hate the fact that being able to play for free is becoming the only standard in console hacking, go spread your cancer else where please...

Also for now nobody precisely know how that sky3DS thingy is working and guess what, I'm quite sure that's because nobody with skills in hacking and RE gives a fuck about this except the sky3DS team and that's because they make money from this.

Sure Sky3DS is a nice thing if you can't have a Gateway, but why would we want the Gateway to be downgraded in term of functionality to make it behave like a sky3DS, are you so short on money you can't buy one ? They are clearly two different products...
 
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_v3

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Why do le french people call flashcards linkers?

I always called them flascarTs (some of my friends call them flashcarDs, while all the stores in my country use linkers)
Why some use the term linkers is unknown to me. Since their debut they have been called flashcarts
 

DinohScene

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Well, that's really weird... Also, in Spanish Pineapple is Piña, which is not any closer to "Ananas".

I'd prefer that if it said "colada" behind it ;p

Yeh true, but generally, English is the only language which doesn't have Ananas.
Russian, French, German, Polish, Danish, Finnish, Swedish, Dutch, Belgian, Czech.
All say Ananas ;]
 

VinsCool

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I always called them flascarTs (some of my friends call them flashcarDs, while all the stores in my country use linkers)
Why some use the term linkers is unknown to me. Since their debut they have been called flashcarts

the only logic esplanation to me is the linker flashcard "ds-linker"
 

guitarheroknight

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I always called them flascarTs (some of my friends call them flashcarDs, while all the stores in my country use linkers)
Why some use the term linkers is unknown to me. Since their debut they have been called flashcarts
This is a cart,

e5e981f1ec173ab295e680122519e258.jpg


And this is a card,

33df721a7603e2490fa7407a1a269c1d.jpg


Free Internet knowledge ;)
 

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