Hacking Discussion Do you think TX should delay testing their SX switch mod chips?

[CompSciOrBust]

If you have been in the market for a new Switch lately like I have been you might have noticed that the prices are a lot higher recently. This is obviously because of the Corona virus, production is reduced but people want entertainment while they're stuck at home so they buy a new console which drives up demand for a scarce product and ultimately drives up the prices. On Amazon I've seen prices for a red box Switch as high as £700, more than double the roughly £300 they usually sell for. This isn't a problem if you're short on cash as you can just wait until after the virus situation has died down and stores have rebuilt their inventory but it could be a problem if you want to get a Mariko unit for modding.

Usually when a hardware exploit is found in a game console it takes months for patched units to be on store shelves because the oems have to reverse the exploit, fix the vulnerability, produce the updated hardware, and finally wait for stores to sell off old vulnerable stock. If TX were to start testing now it would only take one person to leak the chip to Nintendo (maybe for money, maybe just to be a ass) and Nintendo could start working on a fix while their is limited inventory in stores and the available units are at a heavily inflated price. This would significantly reduce the time before revised unexploitable hardware is sold at retailers. If TX were to wait until the Corona virus situation is less serious to ship sample boards to testers Nintendo will increase production again meaning their is more buffer for stores to burn through before they start ordering new potentially patched consoles from Nintendo and the end users who don't have a switch (like me) will be able to get one at a more reasonable price (or at all depending on how low stocks currently are).

I don't think TX will change their production plans over a GBAtemp thread and I'm sure they have already thought of this but I am interested to know what other people think. If you were TX would you delay testing?

 

[Draxzelex]

I mean a modchip is not the holy grail exploit that we should all be relying on at the end of life of the Switch. In fact, I'd argue the modchip should have even come out before Fusee Gelee.

 

[nero99]

I mean a modchip is not the holy grail exploit that we should all be relying on at the end of life of the Switch. In fact, I'd argue the modchip should have even come out before Fusee Gelee.

but then it would have been patched in the new systems. This is most likely their other exploit that they announced before just going with the dongle and jig. remember when they said there would be a solderless option and then it never happened? Well here it most likely is.

 

[Halvorsen]

.....it's already delayed, and has been when this was posted.

 

[Draxzelex]

but then it would have been patched in the new systems. This is most likely their other exploit that they announced before just going with the dongle and jig. remember when they said there would be a solderless option and then it never happened? Well here it most likely is.

I'd rather the modchip get patched out than Fusee Gelee. The latter is much easier to setup.

 

[CompSciOrBust]

I mean a modchip is not the holy grail exploit that we should all be relying on at the end of life of the Switch. In fact, I'd argue the modchip should have even come out before Fusee Gelee.

I agree that Fusee-Gelee would have been better for EOL but it's important to remember the context in which it was found. Several groups had found it independently so if it wasn't released someone would have found it and reported it sooner or later because of how obvious it was to anyone who had reversed the boot rom. In fact we don't even know who released it because it was so obvious that some random dude anonymously posted it on paste bin before Fail0verflow, Kate Temkin / Reswitched, or TX released it. At the time there was a lot of fear about how it might be used too since the same SoC has been used in self driving cars and the Google Pixel C. It turned out Tesla just used it for the media center and no one worth hacking owns a Pixel C but that wasn't common knowledge back then.

Personally I just hope TX have more tricks up their sleeve. I don't like SXOS but I liked their old xbox products and they're the only scene team with enough financial backing to do serious hardware research (Horizon is pretty much unhackable now so we're going to need hardware vulnerabilities for any future cfw loader). It is worrying that this mod chip could be broken by Nintendo if they just update the boot loader but hopefully changing the timings will be as simple as updating the chip's software like on the 360 (or maybe TX have found a way past the random boot rom delays, who knows).

 

[Reecey]

Yes I think TX should concentrate more on getting the sxos cfw stable and working correctly before they release this modchip else they will have 1000’s of seriously unhappy costumers. There are too many major bugs in this cfw at the moment that needs more attention than any new modchip.

 

[dotmehdi]

Yes I think TX should concentrate more on getting the sxos cfw stable and working correctly before they release this modchip else they will have 1000’s of seriously unhappy costumers. There are too many major bugs in this cfw at the moment that needs more attention than any new modchip.

Mmmh... I dont share your opinion. I beleive most of us are expecting the SX Pro/Lite to be out so that we can use it to boot other payloads than SX Loader. Also, I hope this chip will open to a lot of researching from open source hackers, so that they will cheaper chips with enhancements, customization etc.

 

[Goku1992A]

Modchip is going to benefit a small percentage of people and honestly I would avoid it... Why risk your warranty if you dont need to. I feel sorry for people right now trying to buy a switch I seen those prices and they are outrageous.