Hacking SX Brickcode is Worse Than Expected, Can Trigger From Use

[GitGudScrub]

Tx shouldn't have put brick code in Sx OS

 

[AcktCC]

Tx shouldn't have put brick code in Sx OS

people shouldn't try to crack SX OS.

 

[kamesenin888]

The battle of the new accounts begin!!!!!!

 

[I_doTinySoldering]

Sorry, kinda silly i know, but i nearly spat out my drink when i read "SX is malware".

Why are you surprised? Did you kids make up a new definition for badware? This definitely meets the criteria.

Even worse, from what I see, SX OS is a Frankenstein monster of stolen code. Their shoddy and reckless technique makes me question the skill of the devs. I'm not certain that the SX OS devs fully understand their own code.

Users will definitely want to transition to a community based alternative ASAP.

I also wonder how data is being handled. Selling cache of email and password combinations would be a viable additional revenue stream. Nintendo and Sony sell you data, but not your login credentials. TBH, I can't think of any reason why the SX OS guys shouldn't harvest and sell Nintendo log ins. They are operating outside the rules already.

Buying grey market software is problematic business. You're betting on honor among thieves with no open source transparency.

 

[ultramario1998]

I’m kinda new to this but the verge made an article with tx defending themselves, they called it a “harmless cat and mouse game” with the hackers. Idk if I can link it?

Please do. I need a laugh.

 

[kamesenin888]

Why are you surprised? Did you kids make up a new definition for badware? This definitely meets the criteria.

Even worse, from what I see, SX OS is a Frankenstein monster of stolen code. Their shoddy and reckless technique makes me question the skill of the devs. I'm not certain that the SX OS devs fully understand their own code.

Users will definitely want to transition to a community based alternative ASAP.

I also wonder how data is being handled. Selling cache of email and password combinations would be a viable additional revenue stream. Nintendo and Sony sell you data, but not your login credentials. TBH, I can't think of any reason why the SX OS guys shouldn't harvest and sell Nintendo log ins. They are operating outside the rules already.

Buying grey market software is problematic business. You're betting on honor among thieves with no open source transparency.

Yes transition to a crappy Layeredfs method, hold your breath, just wait for it, (several months later), OK I am still with TX, their backup loader is so good, dude just a couple of months more, (1 month later), well still their method is good, just wait a bit longer..... (and he never used layeredfs because it sucks)

 

[Netboi]

Made a new account, I forgot my username. You could say the last time I posted was before the time GBAT got bought out by a corporate company. Anyways... Hi! Hope all is well, and a good morning to you all. Wanted to drop in my two cents if it matters.

I remember back when soldering modchips could brick your entire console well not exactly the word, but more like destroyed. We all knew what we were getting into. Doesn't matter if there is some wack brick code. This is 3rd party black market grey area where you risk your money, and your time to tamper with a product so you can have homebrew and backups etc.. it has warnings written all over it. This is not some first party hardware where you have a say to it because you paid for it, no, you don't get a say to anything because you should have read the fine print before you bought it. But it's absolutely fucking common sense that once you decide in your head to tamper with said product, you already threw out your agreement along with your rights as a user of that said product. So you fucked yourself over for not realizing that my said product can be bricked or banned. Like really, why is there a need to complain.

As far as the brick code, TX already admitted it has the code, and stated that from their own forums that it's there so people can't reverse engineer their software. It's all their in their forum. I won't link it so just Google it or something.

All my time with GBAT, never seen so many spoiled kids complaining about everything. It's a divided community more than a unity. People stole this or stole that. Shit.. back then we all shared code, it wasn't about who came out first, it was to work together, and improve on it. It's not some self pride ego. Boo hoo you don't like the way TX handles their shit, but you have to admit they managed to find a way ahead of everyone else. This is why the open source community is so damn slow these days. It's because nobody gives a fuck about anyone else but themselves and what they can do better. All of you are reaching the same damn goal so why not just work together, and have something solid. That is what TX did because nobody else wanted to work with each other. I mean, how many different platforms do we need to run homebrew launchers?? Why can't we just focus on the base platform, and work up, and then do your own shit on that platform and call it a day. At least TX made it work, and that's what we all should be happy about? Right??? I mean that's your base platform fully functional on the Switch, and they are focusing on updating as how they already updated it twice?

You all should be glad it's actually gotten somewhere instead of throwing fits on why this, and why that. All the negativity is like wtf happened to the modding community? You want to start improving? well it's already right in front of you. You can wait for Atmosphere to finish, but by then TX is already going to be the base for a lot of homebrew because it's already there. So why wait if they are going to be the same anyways?? You can focus on reverse engineering etc.. but why waste your time on that when you can be building on top of that? One person made a comment about brick code and it sent waves, but why should that affect anyone? We all know the risks, and if you don't then you don't belong anywhere in the modding community. Just stick with your safety zone, and leave everything to the risk takers.

 

[Deleted User]

News Flash!

Doing anything with console hacks you shouldn't be doing will brick your console!

Delete a wrong title on WiiU running CBHC..brick!
Sleep your 3DS at the wrong time with A9LH..brick!
Start messing about with shit you don't understand on anything..brick!
Touch a system title..brick!

This post equates to saying: Mess about with consoles in ways you shouldn't could cause a brick!

No fucking shit!

None of those things are intentional actions on the part of Nintendo, they're your fault.

This is an intentional brick by TX.

 

[FliP0x]

None of those things are intentional actions on the part of Nintendo, they're your fault.

This is an intentional brick by TX.

If you mess with the code or reverse engineer, it's also your fault.

 

[ultramario1998]

People stole this or stole that. Shit.. back then we all shared code, it wasn't about who came out first, it was to work together, and improve on it.

That's... kinda why I'm so angry. Using other peoples' code is fine, there's nothing wrong with that, as long as you respect the license. What TX did was *steal* code. They didn't abide by any of the several license agreements within the sources they used.

but by then TX is already going to be the base for a lot of homebrew because it's already there.

Other way round, my friend. SX is a hacked together rom loader thrown on top of Atmosphere's code.

 

[Netboi]

Well, I don't defend TX or their practices, but if it's stolen code then that's a bigger issue than a brick code. Maybe that should be pointed out more if they broke the rules. Technically if the evidence is true, they can be taken to court if the other devs are willing to file it, but of course it could be costly so only thing to do is steal their code and build a better one? Build, steal, and innovate. Just like Apple and Xerox or let's remove steal and just replace it with borrowed.

 

[aut0mat3d]

TX choosed to lock EMMC when they beleive to "see" a hacking attemp which will be a brick for most users.
So, i am really happy that i gave them no money as this is a no-go for me. I strongly beleive, Nintendos will try to trigger that in a future Firmware, as this will knock out a huge amount of pirates.

And yes, i do want to use their "Product" to play Backups and run Homebrew comfortable till Atmosphere gets released. But i will never have Software with known brick capabilities installed on my System (not talking about bricking by accident)

So, i am looking forward for a patched/cleaned Version of TX OS to have it save. If they would drop that "Safety Feature" I would buy a pro without thinking about.

And no, i do buy actual Games i find worth playing, not giving a sh*t for roms of dead Consoles.

 

[ultramario1998]

Technically if the evidence is true, they can be taken to court if the other devs are willing to file it, but of course it could be costly so only thing to do is steal their code and build a better one?

I mean, yeah, but that's far from their biggest infraction--they're also breaking copyright law. Still though, it's a possibility.

 

[EmanueleBGN]

"Our product has been designed with the greatest possible stability and polish. Whenever someone is running our SX OS they can be assured they are running a safe and well-tested product. We cannot guarantee equal functionality and performance when any changes are made and therefore do not support any unauthorized modifications".


According to the SX OX developers, the built-in safety measure — which locks up Switch consoles until either a password is submitted or the software is updated — is meant to be a challenge for people messing with the program. The thinking, the representative explained, is that if someone is smart enough to modify the program, they should be smart enough to figure out how to get past the anti-piracy measure, too. It is also meant to stop people who might want to steal the functionality for their own purposes.

“We can detect malicious tampering with 100 percent accuracy and have a harmless cat-and-mouse game between aspiring hackers and competing teams that (amongst other things) simply puts a reversible [password] on the system. Someone would have to purposefully bypass lots of layers of integrity checking put in place to trigger this condition. This is not something that can happen in regular usage, ever.”

“We do not ‘brick’ any consoles, ever. We do implement inconveniences to safeguard anti-tampering of our SX OS boot file to remain at a competitive advantage. It would simply be bad business to intentionally harm a user’s console"

Source

 

[ultramario1998]

Source

Thank you for the source.


Here's a quick recap for those just now joining in:

So, SX is claiming, "no we don't have purposeful brick code in our product". This seems reasonable.

hexkyz is claiming, "while this is intended to be triggered only for those reverse-engineering the payload, there are also circumstances wherein it can be triggered during normal use". This also seems reasonable.

While we don't know exactly under what circumstances the payload can be triggered, a writeup has been promised for Soon(tm).


TL;DR: Don't panic just yet, but I personally would advise not using SX until this situation is resolved, one way or another.

 

[chrisrlink]

I mean, yeah, but that's far from their biggest infraction--they're also breaking copyright law. Still though, it's a possibility.

no cause the devs are doing something against the law anyways circumventing system security which is forbidden in the DMCA for the US and some of the devs live in the US they could go serve hard time for it so no they cant sue as that will expose themselves to nintendo

 

[cearp]

SX is a hacked together rom loader thrown on top of Atmosphere's code.

That's exactly why people at buying it!
'hacked together' or 'lovingly created', it still works and the games are still fun.

 

[ultramario1998]

That's exactly why people at buying it!
'hacked together' or 'lovingly created', it still works and the games are still fun.

Whether people are buying it or no, that doesn't make it well made. Or get rid of brick potential. Or, ya know, make TX any less scumbaggy.

The games are fun, tho.

 

[cearp]

Whether people are buying it or no, that doesn't make it well made. Or get rid of brick potential.

The games are fun, tho.

How can we see the quality of the code? Or how well it was made?
How would it be different if it was well made?
They didn't follow DRY or something?
Is this about them taking code?
That doesn't mean it's not well made.
I can steal butter to make a cake, the cake can still taste good.


If people were getting bricked, they messed something up.
But people aren't getting bricked. So they did a good job on their brick code.

 

[ultramario1998]

How can we see the quality of the code? Or how well it was made?

hexkyz is telling us that it's built on top of code they wrote, almost exclusively in fact. I'm going to trust the person with the IDA license.

How would it be different if it was well made?

How about not bricking people in the first place?

Is this about them taking code?
That doesn't mean it's not well made.
I can steal butter to make a cake, the cake can still taste good.

Yes, but regardless of how good the cake tastes, the fact remains that you stole all the ingredients--at least pay for them!

I wouldn't care so much about this snafu if they at least followed the community licenses. That just makes it clear to me that TX doesn't care about the community whatsoever--this is a blatant cash grab.