Hi. This is my first post here, so a little bit about myself: I'm friends with Marionumber1 and MrRean, and have been graciously given access to that team's private exploits. I mainly make
level editors and other editors for Wii U game files. (For the record, I'm also the person who updates the exploit compatibility table on
http://rhcafe.us.to/ .)
I've been watching this thread for a very long time, and decided to finally make an account here to clear up what the current Wii U hacking situation is, since there seems to be a whole lot of confusion.
Types of exploits (sorted by amount of access granted)
With a
userspace exploit (usually through WebKit in the Internet Browser), you can run Hello World and basic homebrew games. These exploits are mainly important because they are needed to run more exploits. These are referred to interchangeably as "userspace," "userland" and "WebKit" exploits.
With a Cafe OS ("
kernel") exploit, you can run TCPGecko and any of the programs that end in -iine (and probably some others I'm forgetting). In order to run one of these exploits, you first need a userspace exploit.
With an
IOSU exploit, you get all of the benefits of a kernel exploit, plus more access to lower-level services. Most IOSU exploits first require a kernel exploit; Hykem's is unusual in that it only requires a userspace exploit.
Exploit status on recent firmware versions
5.3.2: A WebKit userspace exploit is available. There is a public, extremely unreliable kernel exploit in the form of the infamous OSDriver race attack. Several private IOSU exploits exist.
5.4.0: The libstagefright MP4 userspace exploit is available. The unreliable kernel exploit from 5.3.2 still exists. Several private IOSU exploits exist.
5.5.0: The libstagefright MP4 userspace exploit is available. The OSDriver kernel exploit is gone, but there is a different kernel exploit that is extremely reliable, which is currently private. Several private IOSU exploits exist.
5.5.1: libstagefright userspace exploits no longer work. There is no replacement userspace exploit yet, but I know that several people from the team are trying to find one. Nothing else has changed; the reliable (yet private) kernel exploit from 5.5.0 should still work, in theory, but can't be used due to the lack of a userspace exploit. Several private IOSU exploits exist, and theoretically work, but can't be used for the same reason as the kernel exploit.
Hykem's IOSU Exploit
The IOSU exploit Hykem is working on should work on any version that already has a userspace exploit. Right now, this means anything except 5.5.1. When a userspace exploit is found for 5.5.1, the IOSU exploit will work there immediately; we know this because the 5.5.1 update data only affects the internet browser.
Summaries
5.3.2: Reliable userspace exploit, unreliable kernel exploit (OSDriver), private IOSU exploits.
5.4.0: Reliable userspace exploit (MP4), unreliable kernel exploit (OSDriver), private IOSU exploits.
5.5.0: Reliable userspace exploit (MP4), private reliable kernel exploit, private IOSU exploits.
5.5.1: No userspace exploit. Private reliable kernel exploit (theoretically), private IOSU exploits (theoretically). Because there's no userspace exploit, the other exploits can't be run.
TL;DR
Versions that can be used for fun hacks right now:
5.3.2,
5.4.0
Versions that can be used for fun hacks by private teams now, and by you in the future:
5.5.0
Versions that nobody has run fun hacks on yet:
5.5.1
("Fun hacks" are TCPGecko, Cafiine, Dumpiine, ___iine, etc. Things that require both a userspace and a kernel exploit.)
Hopefully that helps some of you understand where we're at right now. I'll be around here to answer questions now and then.
