Hacking Hack 3DS by Memory Dump?

[goldensox]

The difference is that the Gateway team (apparrently, since we STILL have yet to see the physical cartridge itself in the wild) know what the heck they are doing, and this found said unsigned code execution exploit.

Can you please explain to me in detail why people believe that Gateway found a way to execute unsigned code and how possibly they did it? I'm sincerely interested.

 

[McHaggis]

Can you please explain to me in detail why people believe that Gateway found a way to execute unsigned code and how possibly they did it? I'm sincerely interested.

Well, if you read all the Gateway stuff, the notable parts are:

• A DS mode card is used to "prepare" the 3DS for the main card
• Saved games are stored on the 3DS's SD card.
• One of the exploits they're using was fixed in system software version 5.0

All that stuff pretty much points to an exploit. The second one confirms it: the only way to manipulate the 3DS to write to the SD card would be to execute unsigned code. As for "how possibly they did it", nobody really knows, or can know until the cards are released into the wild.

 

[goldensox]

Well, if you read all the Gateway stuff, the notable parts are:

• A DS mode card is used to "prepare" the 3DS for the main card
• Saved games are stored on the 3DS's SD card.
• One of the exploits they're using was fixed in system software version 5.0

All that stuff pretty much points to an exploit. The second one confirms it: the only way to manipulate the 3DS to write to the SD card would be to execute unsigned code. As for "how possibly they did it", nobody really knows, or can know until the cards are released into the wild.

Thanks for the clarification but I still have some questions...

The DS Mode card supposedly patches something in the 3DS right? People said said that some hackers had kernel access... Maybe the DS Mode card, which I believe works inside a built-in software emulator (again, I believe) patches the keys on the 3DS so it can run unsigned code or accept a different key? Also, if they can write on the SD AND run unsigned code, maybe that means we should expect a CFW once the card is actually released?

About the SD Card save storing, there isn't any accessory or game that does that? Don't downloaded game save in the SD?

Also, today is July 25, they said they would ship today but still not a bit of news... Maybe we should wait.

 

[Rydian]

There's no SDK or anything, if they are using unsigned 3DS code themselves it's only in RAM (since you need to prepare it after boot) and likely hand-coded (no fancy high-level languages and libraries).

They have said nothing about the ability to make permanent modifications to the 3DS (a softmod) or the ability to run user homebrew. If the product had these features they'd be advertising them.

 

[McHaggis]

Thanks for the clarification but I still have some questions...

The DS Mode card supposedly patches something in the 3DS right? People said said that some hackers had kernel access... Maybe the DS Mode card, which I believe works inside a built-in software emulator (again, I believe) patches the keys on the 3DS so it can run unsigned code or accept a different key? Also, if they can write on the SD AND run unsigned code, maybe that means we should expect a CFW once the card is actually released?

About the SD Card save storing, there isn't any accessory or game that does that? Don't downloaded game save in the SD?

Also, today is July 25, they said they would ship today but still not a bit of news... Maybe we should wait.

It's safer to not ever expect a custom firmware. As Rydian said, they'll be pushing their code to memory and probably patching some stuff in memory in order to work around the security. Downloaded games do save to the SD card. Many of the API functions for manipulating the filesystem have already been mapped out on http://3dbrew.org, so this probably wasn't too difficult for them to do.

 

[tHciNc]

They also stated "We currently have a very convenient and user friendly way to enter into our Gateway mode, while this entry point has been tested up to 6.0 we expect it to be shut off shortly after we release." showing they found something, but obviously what changed in 5.X was something to allow that convenient entry was changed/patched..

 

[Boy12]

I think that when a hacker researches the Card, he might discover witch exploit was used, and thus releases a user mode exploit. Just my hopes though, but i do think there Will be a softmod exploit eventually.

 

[Lordmau5]

but i do think there Will be a softmod exploit eventually.

There will be one with high chance... but not in near future...
They have to find ways to get behind everything, to know how the 3DS fully works.

 

[Boy12]

There will be one with high chance... but not in near future...
They have to find ways to get behind everything, to know how the 3DS fully works.

This.
I think it's pretty safe to say that you can expect something in around ~2-3 years, maybe even next year.
Don't gave the hope up though.