Hacking Nintendo Switch Banning Hub & Warning

[Draxzelex]

Alright so I think I've reached a pretty good point with the entire questionnaire that its basically future-proofed up until another CFW comes up .XCI loading and/or EmuNAND is released. However paid online may be detailed tomorrow during the direct so a lot of people will most likely stop using online features that are not free. With that out of the way, I've now removed Airplane Mode as a question and this decision is final since its a self-inflicted ban that can be removed at any point. This is also why I don't ask users if they use any DNS server or Stealth Mode as they have no bearing on when a user will be banned. Lastly, I have started adding dates to bans for people can track how long a user went without being banned. I started as of this post but I will be asleep by the time this message goes up so I will continue most likely tomorrow.

 

[mike087]

I seem to notice you skipped a lot of questions, although I'm not sure why so if you could answer them, that would be great. I'll even copy and paste only the questions you missed.
Did you update your firmware w/o burning fuses? Y/N
Did you install the exFAT update offline? Y/N
receive-lp1.dg.srv.nintendo.net blocked and/or "Don't Share Usage Information" ticked under "Other Settings"? Y/N
Do you have eclct disabled (look for pm.kip under sysmodules/modules)? Y/N
Do you have creport enabled (look for a folder named 0100000000000036 under titles)? Y/N

I'm inclined to agree after collecting this data for almost 3 months now. I've managed to narrow down homebrew-only bans to one case and that person cleared error logs on a firmware that can track them being wiped. I think this pattern also fits most people's morals since pirates don't deserve online access although some people were banned despite backing up their own games. On the other hand, its only been a few months since the first and only banwave so only time will tell if homebrew can be considered safe or not.

Did you update your firmware w/o burning fuses? I dont understand this. I updated the firmware normally online.
Did you install the exFAT update offline? No, but i updated online
receive-lp1.dg.srv.nintendo.net blocked and/or "Don't Share Usage Information" ticked under "Other Settings"? I dont understand this
Do you have eclct disabled (look for pm.kip under sysmodules/modules)? I dont remember
Do you have creport enabled (look for a folder named 0100000000000036 under titles)? I dont remember

 

[Deleted User]

Got banned for being legal xD

The only thing i did was playing legit backups of my own Games.
Octopath and skyrim (made my own xci dumps and played them 2 times-> superban. Had wifi on btw.

No Problem as i own 2 Switches. No nsp btw

Sadly i was too slow to download my wolfenstein 2 Update.

 

[Nightflash]

Got banned for being legal xD

The only thing i did was playing legit backups of my own Games.
Octopath and skyrim (made my own xci dumps and played them 2 times-> superban. Had wifi on btw.

No Problem as i own 2 Switches. No nsp btw

Sadly i was too slow to download my wolfenstein 2 Update.

That is indeed very sad but finally proves that even your own XCIs and SX OS can lead to a superban.

 

[chrisrlink]

so now XCI's aren't even safe or is it SXOS itself?

 

[lufeig]

so now XCI's aren't even safe or is it SXOS itself?

afaik, they have never been safe

you should never go online playing backups


@voddy
you know that you've been banned because you hacked the switch and voided the eula, right?

I understand that you played your own backups, but to do that, you had to hack the console. that's why you were banned.

the good part is that you have a second switch!

 

[hipmp5]

@voddy Did you had XCI certificates from your original games? I'm very curious about that ban.

 

[V-Temp]

so now XCI's aren't even safe or is it SXOS itself?

If you can remove the SX OS from the equation, it would be safe. The SX OS is the issue. An XCI, loading with its own proper header/cert, should not be distinguishable from a normal cart. This, however, goes out the window if you use an OS that runs on top of sysNAND and vomits badness all over it that just waits to trigger a telemetry/error report.

 

[Deleted User]

afaik, they have never been safe

you should never go online playing backups


@voddy
you know that you've been banned because you hacked the switch and voided the eula, right?

I understand that you played your own backups, but to do that, you had to hack the console. that's why you were banned.

the good part is that you have a second switch!

Yes i know that i didnt think they ban own backups that fast. I dont mind at all . Just wanted to tell others to not backup their own games to take with them as it results in a ban too ^^

 

[Draxzelex]

@voddy Do you mind taking a minute and filling out the form in the OP or alternatively using the Google Form links found below the form if you have a Gmail account?

 

[Deleted User]

@voddy Did you had XCI certificates from your original games? I'm very curious about that ban.

Yes it was including real certs of the specific cart. No injections. 1:1 dump

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

Did you use/restore a clean hack-free NAND before going online? N
Can you use the eShop on the Switch? N
If you cannot access the eShop, when was the last time you were able to? Yesterday
Do you get error code 2137-7403 trying to update your system firmware? Y
Can you login to Nintendo's website using your linked Nintendo Account? N
SX OS used? Y
Trimmed .XCI? N
Did you connect to the Internet with SX OS and/or to activate the license? Y
Did you play any .XCI files online with a certificate/header? N but updated one Game xci
Do you have a certificate/header ban (look for error code 2124-4025)? N
Lowest SX Version used when Online/Offline (NOT Switch System Firmware)? 1.6
What do you use Non-TX LayeredFS for? N
Did you connect to the Internet with a non-TX LayeredFS Inject? N
Played online w/ Non-TX Layered FS Injects? N
Did you inject an .XCI certificate using LayeredFS to play online? N
Used DevMenu? N
Installed any .NSP? N
Did you connect to the Internet w/ any .NSP installed? N
Did you play any .NSP installed online? N
Did you perform any CDN/Freeshop downloading with your own Switch's certificate? N
Did you update your backups online? CFW
Homebrew/non-TX CFW Used? Y gcdumper2.0
Connect to Internet w/ homebrew/non-TX CFW? Y (left wifi on)
Connect to eShop while using CFW/homebrew? N (well yes if u count gameupdates)
AutoRCM? N
Did you update your firmware w/o burning fuses? N
Did you install the exFAT update offline?N
"Don't Share Usage Information" ticked under "Other Settings"? Y
Do you have eclct disabled (look for pm.kip under sysmodules/modules)? N
Do you have creport enabled (look for a folder named 0100000000000036 under titles)? N
What firmware(s) were you on when you cleared error logs prior to going online? N
Disabled "Send Error Information" in System Settings? Y
Wi-Fi settings deleted in CFW? N
Airplane mode? N
Auto-Update Software Enabled in System Settings? N
Console/Account Region(s) eur
What device(s) do you use to send payloads with? Selfmade injector (samd21)
If Banned, provide proof (video preferred)
No proof as i m not home xD

 

[Darklord2007]

i am just wondering did anyone got ban yet by using Reinx ?

 

[Draxzelex]

i am just wondering did anyone got ban yet by using Reinx ?

Data says no but ReiNX only recently enabled backup launching so Nintendo probably needs time to catch up. Also the LayeredFS banwave probably scared most of the doubters into staying offline and playing it safe.

 

[thorasgar]

Well I did something stupid with my 3rd “self-banned” Switch. It has been in airplane mode since I unboxed it and never set up an account. Well I went an stuck it in a dock that I forgot was wired. Well trained son yelled “Dad! It wants to update my game!” Having an started him with an Acekard when he was 4 he knows the drill and clicked cancel. But I suspect it connected with Nintendo so it could be banned or just flagged.

I suppose I could restore the Nand, put a cart in it and see if it downloads an update but even if it does that wouldn’t tell me if it was flagged or not. Seems like a hassle for little definitive information. Will likely just carry on in self-banned mode and when or if safe online methods are developed look into then.

 

[chrisrlink]

Yes it was including real certs of the specific cart. No injections. 1:1 dump

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

yeah as i feared Nintendo might have a way to detect if it isn't SXOS itself are you on stealth mode sxos 1,7+? if so my theory maybe valid that the switch "phones home" even when everythings ok so cereport and other report diverters are active and your on nintendo's sever the may flag you for that

 

[KHEOPS]

Voddy
Did you update your backups online? CFW
Connect to Internet w/ homebrew/non-TX CFW? Y (left wifi on)
Airplane mode? N
It can only come from these 3 points

If you've been bothered injecting your original certs, it's to enjoy the ofw, you're going to play online on cfw? No wonder you're banned.

How could nintendo have detected you? If you play with originals under official firmware?
Or 1/1 cert copies? He wouldn't have seen anything, it's clear, unless there were crash logs compromising, but that's not your case.....
So anyone can launch an original game in cfw = ban
Copy 1/1 certificate in cfw = ban

It is the sxos custom firmware that is detected ( the software overlay)
If you do not protect cfw in airplane mode or dns block or stealth = ban

And in official firmware, no more protection, if no compromising logs, it's okay
Otherwise restoration of clean nand.

Hyppothese ( Nintendo Spy)

Check the size of the switch bone, if custom firmware size > official nintendo firmware = ban ( or crc check modification) or any online tool capable of comparing an expected original value and a non-conforming value, or modified.
I don't think logs are the key, logs are the last link in the chain, to confirm if your use of the switch is normal...
I don't think Reporter logs on sdcard protects you at 100℅

Because there is a value that changes somewhere ( it increases by a certain value expected by nintendo) if this value is out of the expected range, and it is finally that which triggers the bad log, so deleting the log is fine, but the wrong value it is there somewhere, and only the restoration of nand will reset the value to zero.( original value before error)
As long as we don't find exactly this line of code, well the ban will still be there.

Log = fast way of ban for nintendo
Then nintendo can search deeper for some key value
And so the one I'm talking about is the one before writing the log( the wrong value ), so if you delete the log and your value indicates that it must have a relationship, nintendo sees it and paf the ban
( I think the 5.1 firmware is in this case) see the report of the only 100% homebrew user who deleted log in 5.1 ofw, it was banned the only one.

Slow track ban
They compare more values, if they check 30 values, and that three should have generated logs (so 3 logs) they then run a search on all your logs received on their server, and if on the 3 values, they do not have 3 logs (Or if you have more, ex homebrew crash or other)
They know that something is wrong (Then analyze each log in detail and check the corresponding value on your switch) it still takes extra time
, and in this case it can be waves of ban every month or 3 months, depending on the amount of suspicious information collected.
Basically they wait until they have enough people certified pirate, then they laugh by pressing the red BAN button
nintendo " they will buy another nintendo switch" bad pirates

 

[Piepokemon]

Not been banned but don't want to make a new thread to ask a question, and I've looked at the data but I'm just curious to know what the general consensus would be for my case.

I had a switch sitting on 4.1.0 since forever. Way back when hacks first popped up, I went ahead and RCM'd, and used checkpoint to backup saves. I probably got some errors logged because it was early stuff. Never did anything more with homebrew, it's just been sitting offline. Today I bought a new switch for online games like Smash, and I'm wondering if it'd be safe to do a system transfer with my old switch, so I can have a couple titles I bought on my account along with saves. I'm sure there's no concise answer, but genuinely considered, how safe would a transfer be? I would be really bummed if I ended up with two banned consoles, for simply backing up saves on an old switch console. I would rather lose a few games and saves on my account than make my 300 dollar purchase pointless, but if I'm pretty much safe I'll go ahead and transfer. I get "only way to be sure is to not do it" but if there's been no cases of offline homebrew leading to bans, I might as well. System transfer I'd assume would be extra safe but if somebody understands it more and knows that's not true please inform me, thanks.

 

[Draxzelex]

Not been banned but don't want to make a new thread to ask a question, and I've looked at the data but I'm just curious to know what the general consensus would be for my case.

I had a switch sitting on 4.1.0 since forever. Way back when hacks first popped up, I went ahead and RCM'd, and used checkpoint to backup saves. I probably got some errors logged because it was early stuff. Never did anything more with homebrew, it's just been sitting offline. Today I bought a new switch for online games like Smash, and I'm wondering if it'd be safe to do a system transfer with my old switch, so I can have a couple titles I bought on my account along with saves. I'm sure there's no concise answer, but genuinely considered, how safe would a transfer be? I would be really bummed if I ended up with two banned consoles, for simply backing up saves on an old switch console. I would rather lose a few games and saves on my account than make my 300 dollar purchase pointless, but if I'm pretty much safe I'll go ahead and transfer. I get "only way to be sure is to not do it" but if there's been no cases of offline homebrew leading to bans, I might as well. System transfer I'd assume would be extra safe but if somebody understands it more and knows that's not true please inform me, thanks.

Honestly speaking, the chances of getting banned due to homebrew alone are very slim. After all, we only have one confirmed case and that user cleared his error logs which is no longer possible due to all CFWs and SD packs removing the tool to do so. Now I haven't done much research on system transfer so I can't give you any clear idea if that's case or not. It might even transfer the error reports which could flag you for a ban especially if you went online and transmitted them to Nintendo. However, after collecting this data for months now, as long as you don't pirate any games (or even create backups of your own games), your chances of getting banned are very low.

 

[Darklord2007]

Data says no but ReiNX only recently enabled backup launching so Nintendo probably needs time to catch up. Also the LayeredFS banwave probably scared most of the doubters into staying offline and playing it safe.

I only time when am online is to download the game update. every other time i just have airplane mode on.

 

[Piepokemon]

Honestly speaking, the chances of getting banned due to homebrew alone are very slim. After all, we only have one confirmed case and that user cleared his error logs which is no longer possible due to all CFWs and SD packs removing the tool to do so. Now I haven't done much research on system transfer so I can't give you any clear idea if that's case or not. It might even transfer the error reports which could flag you for a ban especially if you went online and transmitted them to Nintendo. However, after collecting this data for months now, as long as you don't pirate any games (or even create backups of your own games), your chances of getting banned are very low.

I figured as much, but I didn't want to assume without seeing if anyone actually has been banned using homebrew alone. I might give it a shot then, and if I do get banned I'll drop by here again and give all the data I can.