Hacking PSA about IPATCHed Switches and supernag.

[Gren22]

While as of the last couple days thanks to tremendous effort from people in the community such as SciresM, hexkyz, and deer/liuervehc, we now have patched Switches on 4.1.0 Firmware running Atmosphere/emuMMC on 8.1.0. Unfortunately, some further requirements were not made exactly clear previously until individuals were unable to use the Deja Vu exploit chain on patched Switches. This is caused due to what people call "supernag", Supernag occurs when your Switch connects to Nintendo servers and writes save data indicating a new firmware update is available. When this savedata indicates a version greater than your current version is available, your Switch will refuse to launch any sort of web browser which is required to launch PegaSwitch and the Deja Vu exploit chain. This savedata is persistent through any attempts to remove it on OFW, including system initialization, etc. The only way to regain access to web browsers on the Switch is by updating your Switch to a version greater than or equal to the version cached in the save data from when you last went online. If you last went online before 8.0.0 came out, you could theoretically use a cartridge to update to 7.0.1 once Deja Vu is usable on that firmware, but that could be quite some time before that is possible. I have tested virtually every viable method of removing supernag on a console, including updating with a cartridge, using Fake News/Puyo Puyo Tetris, and system initialization, and none of them worked for me. The one way I was able to end it was by updating to latest firmware with ChoiDujourNX (my example savedata signaled 8.1.0 update available, I will try to get savedata representing 5.0.0 and update with cartridge later to be thorough).

TL;DR: If you have a patched switch, NEVER LET IT CONNECT TO THE INTERNET. The only time when it should ever try to connect to the internet is if you have BOTH primary and secondary DNS set to a 90dns or PegaSwitch enabled server, and after ensuring neither your router nor ISP will redirect DNS requests. If your Switch attempts to connect to Nintendo servers, it is highly unlikely you'll ever have hacks on a patched unit.

Edit: Maintenance mode *will not* clear supernag. It can clear normal nag which just asks you to update (the prompt has 3 buttons on it), but supernag (prompt has 2 buttons) will persist as it is signaled by a system save that is not cleared from maintenance mode or system initialization (maintenance mode will only delete update data)

EDIT 2:
There are currently NO known ways of removing SUPERNAG. Anything you read is likely speculation and proven to not work already. Things that have been tested:

• Maintenance Mode
• Console Initialization (both through settings and maintenance mode)
• Failing an update due to battery/etc (don't even try this, dumb idea and not a chance of working)
• Fake news
• Puyo Puyo Tetris or other web browser entry points
• Updating via a cartridge (this COULD work, it depends on when your unit went online. If it went online before the FW on the cart was released, it *should* clear it. Considering supernag was added in 4.1.0, and there are no public exploits for >4.1.0 currently, this is useless)

 

[x124]

It's worth noting that if one has a nand dump and biskeys, it should be possible to fix this with a hardware mod. So, if one accidentally connects to the internet after the first time they hacked the switch, all is not lost.
But it would be very difficult to fix and there are no buyable hardware mods to achieve this yet. as far as I know.
tl/dr: Create backups

 

[linuxares]

Update nag can be cleared by just enter Recovery Mode (Not RCM) and it will be cleared.

 

[anhyeuviolet]

Update nag can be cleared by just enter Recovery Mode (Not RCM) and it will be cleared.

Anybody please test that !
My patched unit is about 5.1.0. Don't dare to test it

 

[Gren22]

Update nag can be cleared by just enter Recovery Mode (Not RCM) and it will be cleared.

This can clear standard nag, but it will not clear supernag. (I'm not sure the difference between causing each)
(This was as reported by another user, I suppose I'll go test it myself real quick)

Edit: I have tested it myself now, and can confirm maintenance mode/system initialization will not clear supernag. Have added a note to the OP to clearly state this.

 

[noahc3]

Update nag can be cleared by just enter Recovery Mode (Not RCM) and it will be cleared.

This only deletes the update files from your system. It does not reset the update record nor vulnerability!needs_update_vulnerability_policy flag in ns which you are guaranteed to get at this point. These flags force you to update to access the browser webapplet.

 

[Gren22]

It's worth noting that if one has a nand dump and biskeys, it should be possible to fix this with a hardware mod. So, if one accidentally connects to the internet after the first time they hacked the switch, all is not lost.
But it would be very difficult to fix and there are no buyable hardware mods to achieve this yet. as far as I know.
tl/dr: Create backups

Very good point. There is currently an issue on the Atmosphere repo requesting to automatically dump biskeys along with PRODINFO, so hopefully that is done soon to save some people.

 

[goldenguy43]

So that means whenever someone once connected their switch to the internet, it makes the console unhackable?

 

[x124]

So that means whenever someone once connected their switch to the internet, it makes the console unhackable?

yup. pretty neat huh?

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I thought the supernag was cleared by doing a full format of the console in Maintenance Mode (deleting save data and downloaded content), and that that was the only way to clear it, or am I misremembering?

 

[Sato92]

Sigh... I wainted hack with my patched switch, just to see that I have supernag.
Maintenance mode doesnt remove it yea

And here is the question
What would be more wisely, upgrade to latest FW, or wait till solution to supernag arrived?
The scenario could be that hack 8.1 can be easier done, than hack the supernag
I think about cartridge with higher FW , but as op said ot doesnt work. And this is TOO bad.

Maybe we can in future write a script to wifi router to disguise N servers? And then hack the supernag?

Damn if i have a time machine , I traveled back, and never connect my switch to internet, or just upgrade to 6.2 fw.
..or just find hackable switch))

 

[masagrator]

The scenario could be that hack 8.1 can be easier done, than hack the supernag

You can always update. But you can't downgrade.
So updating to 8.1 means bigger risk than staying and waiting for clearing supernag.

 

[Deleted User]

Anybody please test that !
My patched unit is about 5.1.0. Don't dare to test it

works. just press POWER UP, VOL+ and VOL- using this "hack" too

 

[Syco54645]

Well I have supernag but now when I connect to the pegascape DNS it not longer says the network requires registration. Did I somehow get locked out even worse?

 

[lembi2001]

works. just press POWER UP, VOL+ and VOL- using this "hack" too

It has already been confirmed that this does NOT work. Giving misinformation like that out is going to cause more people to be caught out by the Supernag.

 

[Deleted User]

It has already been confirmed that this does NOT work. Giving misinformation like that out is going to cause more people to be caught out by the Supernag.

but why does it work for me? mmhh...

 

[lembi2001]

Do you have a patched switch with the supernag?

Can you take pictures or record yourself clearing the supernag?

Everything points to this not being possible to do. I recall similar issues with the supernag on the unpatched consoles a while back

 

[Deleted User]

Do you have a patched switch with the supernag?

Can you take pictures or record yourself clearing the supernag?

Everything points to this not being possible to do. I recall similar issues with the supernag on the unpatched consoles a while back

what for supernag. linuxares was talking about normal nag and the other one asked him about normal nag

 

[lembi2001]

This whole thread is about the supernag. The title even states Supernag.

I suspect Linuxares either misread or misunderstood the post.

 

[Deleted User]

This whole thread is about the supernag. The title even states Supernag.

I suspect Linuxares either misread or misunderstood the post.

that doesnt mean that the asker misread