It appears that users are being banned from 3DS online services, en masse. There's no direct cause right now, and seemingly no linking factor. This post is meant as an announcement for users, to be wary, and that GBAtemp will keep you updated as soon as more info rolls in. If you have been banned, please post in the thread below, and we will try to keep tabs on the situation. To be extra sure, it can't hurt to turn off your 3DS's wireless capabilities, so you might as well do that for now.

Edit 1: it appears that e-Shop access isn't restricted if you are banned.

Edit 2: A caller to Nintendo reported that the company said this ban is due to "unauthorized software usage".

Edit 3: @LinkSoraZelda is collecting info. Contact him if you are banned.

Edit 4: Click and fill this out if you were BANNED.

Edit 5:

[11:28:19 PM] Clector: Curiously the page of that error in Nintendo Support website used to have this:Error Code: 002-0102 Situation: You receive the error code 002-0102 when attempting to connect online. What to Do: If you continue to experience this issue, please contact Nintendo by calling 1-800-255-3700. Representatives are available from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., Pacific Time, 7 days a week.
[11:28:44 PM] Clector: Now it says this: What to Do: If you are experiencing this error code, your Nintendo 3DS family system has been banned due to unauthorized system modifications, play of unauthorized versions of one or more games, and/or connecting to the official game servers in violation of our terms of service. This ban is effective immediately and requests to remove the ban will not be processed.

Thanks to @Joom

Edit 6: Aurora Wright is taking another poll here

Edit 7: Not a lot is known but

There are bans happening, they are happening in all regions.
All models in the 3ds family seem to be candidates for banning.
There is no indication they will be anything other than permanent.
A game or DLC may end up being a cause but there is no one game or DLC that ties banned users together.
The cause or causes are as yet unknown, though it does seem to be related to modifications. Reports of unmodified consoles being banned are as yet unproven.
The banning is tied to something you can modify, thus you can unban. Doing it while the causes are unknown is likely only going to burn a working token though.
There are semi public tokens out there, Nintendo knows how to browse a forum as well as you so don't be surprised if they also get banned.
It does not seem to be limited to a given base firmware version, it does not seem to be limited to any one custom firmware type. There is some speculation that older hacking methods are not being hit as hard but nothing to confirm this yet.
The data collection could have happened this morning, or it could have been months in the making.
A simple check to see is checking your friends list, by itself it will not ban you.
Some are turning their wifi off. It is doubtful this will be of much use and being banned does not seem to come with any downsides that wifi being off will not also mimic.
You may have escaped a ban thus far but it could happen at any point. It could be that they stop in the future, it has happened on other consoles, but you would be living in hope rather than any particularly well founded logic.
The bans are done on the side of Nintendo's servers rather than your 3ds so there is also that.

If you hack your devices/games then their online functionality may be troubled. This has been known for decades, Nintendo seems to have finally caught up with that.

Please continue to share information with the thread or the links in previous edits.

Update 5/30

HOW TO HELP AVOID BANS (we think)​

If I was to guess from the information we have gathered since the ban wave, it seems likely that they are looking for TitleIDs that don't exist. Homebrew shows up in the activity log as the Download Play app, and fake CIA's show up as just ??????. That last one is what I'm guessing they are looking for.

If you are not banned yet or before you unban yourself, go into your friends list, choose settings, and turn off the option to "show friends what game you are playing." This will prevent you from playing games online with friends, so turn it back on when you wanna game with someone, but ALWAYS keep it off when running custom CIAs. Next, go into system settings -> internet settings -> spotpass, and turn off BOTH options. One is auto download software, the other sends system information to Nintendo. Also, make sure you don't have your favorite title set to something stupid like FBI or any other non-Nintendo CIA.

Its VERY likely that these options are what tipped off Nintendo, but we aren't 100% certain yet. The amount of banned people that had one of these options turned on was over 80% for each. If I was to assume that some of those people overlap, its very possible (but not confirmed) that 100% of banned people in the survey had at least one of those options turned on. I personally had all of them off and I have TONS of reasons for Nintendo to ban me.... yet I am not banned (yet).

Another bit of advice: Only run custom CIAs when offline, and after you close them, run a "legit" game like Smash Bros. or something before shutting down or going back online. This way your most recent title won't show up as a fake CIA

Current Theories as to what causes a ban
​

* SpotPass Settings: 8 users out of 46 users that were banned have SpotPass completely shut off, or SpotPass only (no friends list visibility)
* Firmware Version (Luma, Nintendo): Literally all reports ranged from 10.2+, I can get exact numbers for this if you'd like, but all firmwares were affected.
* Firmware Type (A9LH, B9S): 44 of the 126 B9S users that answered were banned, pattern was mirrored for A9LH users as well.
* Homebrew Titles such as FBI, HBL, Luma Updater, Themely, and freeShop: Literally about 98% of users both banned and unbanned had some combination of these applications installed. However the common ones were: FBI, HBL, LumaUpdater and NTR.
* Save Modification: Equal amounts of users on both sides have reported save modification in some form, either with PKSM or another save editor
* System Transfers: 188 users said that they had not previously system transfered, 61 of those users were banned; 16 users said they transferred from a hacked console, only three of them received a ban; 13 said they transferred from a stock system and likewise were banned. The rest of our sample did not answer this question.
* Activity Log Information: A majority of those who have not been banned have said they had NOT cleaned their activity logs. I can get exact numbers for this too on request.

This information is just what I've found. Like I said, there could be variables or things we haven't even checked for yet. But these are things that I feel should be disproven, at least with the current dataset we have.

• From the information that we've gathered from some people that have used a packet sniffer such as WireShark, the following data is sent to Nintendo's online gaming servers as soon as the 3DS connects to the internet:
  • Amount of time spent online (timer stops when either the system is disconnected from the internet, or connection drops out, then starts the timer again in a new session when it reconnects to the internet).
  • The game being played and amount of time spent on it during that session.
  • The console's unique hexadecimal ID used in the LocalFriendCodeSeedB, along with it's RSA-signed signature.
  • The console's serial number in which is broadcasted from the SoC and is hard coded in the SoC.
  • Friend Code generated on the Nintendo 3DS system, if one has been generated.
  • Internet connection status (either online or offline).
  • The Nintendo Network ID, if there is one linked to it.
  • Even if the sending of SpotPass Information is switched off, or even hiding your currently playing games. It does not prevent the system from sending currently playing information to Nintendo's online gaming servers, it only hides it from your friends in your friend list (like being invisible on the forum, while mods and admins can still see you). Why? Because even people without a Friend Code on their system have been getting banned too!

• The following data is NOT sent to Nintendo's online gaming servers:
  • The data from the Nintendo 3DS's Activity Log. Oddly enough, while Nintendo does explicitly state that they collect Activity Log data, they're actually referring to their own server's Activity Log, which always tracks every console's online activity, and keeps a record of them that is stored forever. And is only collected in increments of data through a timer and a currently playing list.
    
  • Games or apps that have not been played, regardless if they're legitimate or not. You only get tracked when you're online and using that game or app.
  • Using games or apps while offline. Even though it is stored on the 3DS console's Activity Log, that data is NOT sent to Nintendo's online gaming servers.
  • Custom Firmware. Though we can't rule out the possibility of them releasing a 3DS update in the future that adds such function to collect MD5 hashes of files and FIRM data and send them to Nintendo online gaming servers (which would also be updated in a maintenance).

• Things that people think what happens with consoles, but really doesn't:
  • "LocalFriendCodeSeedB is transferred to the system upon doing a system transfer". This is false, the LocalFriendCodeSeedB remains on the system and does not move to another system.
  • "The console generates a LocalFriendCodeSeedB upon first startup". Again, this is false, the LocalFriendCodeSeedB is made during the manufacturing process at Foxconn. It is generated at the factory, flashed to the NAND flash memory storage, then created as an account on Nintendo's online gaming server and Nintendo eShop server immediately when being manufactured. It is absolutely impossible to generate a LocalFriendCodeSeedB and be able to connect to Nintendo's online gaming server and/or Nintendo eShop server, even if you knew the RSA generation key for it. You'd end up with Error Code 002-0102 "This console's online services have been restricted by Nintendo" if you even tried (the error can either mean two things: The hexadecimal ID doesn't exist on the server, or the request to access the hexadecimal ID has been denied which in other words... banned). So a LocalFriendCodeSeedB generator will NEVER happen! Because it's not worth doing, if it can't connect.
  • Switching off "Currently Playing" information. Once again, this does not hide your online activity from Nintendo's online gaming server, it only hides it from your friends.
  • Switching off SpotPass. Nope, this too doesn't hide your online activity from Nintendo's online gaming server, it only opts-out of receiving SpotPass data, sorry.

So pretty much the bottom line is, if anyone has been using custom apps and/or titles not installed through Nintendo eShop while online in the past, guess what? You're screwed! And it is only a matter of time before your console's unique hexadecimal ID in the LocalFriendCodeSeedB is banned from Nintendo's online gaming server. This will mean, your console can't access the Friend List or play any online functions in games.

If you have been online while using custom apps and/or titles not installed through Nintendo eShop and haven't been banned yet, that's because Nintendo hasn't caught up to you yet. They're still going through each unique hexadecimal ID's Activity Log on their server, and by Activity Log, I mean the Activity Log on their server, not the 3DS console's activity log. And it will be only a matter of time before you're banned too.

Thanks to @Platinum Lucario @MadMageKefka and @ShadowEO !

 

[NANASHI89]

Well, apart from the fact that I eventually won't be able to play Swapdoodle anymore, getting banned doesn't seem like a real concern. I can still buy legit copies of games and DLC, and I can still earn coins from My Nintendo for cool stuff. Never really understood online multiplayer.

Sent from my SM-T280 using Tapatalk

 

[Kioku]

So we know that... people are being banned... for some reason... and some aren't.

Glad we got that sorted.


please vote on AuroraWright's poll on the ban, info is being compiled about the causes.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/poll-bans-and-send-information-about-the-console-to-nintendo.471814/



please vote on AuroraWright's poll on the ban, info is being compiled about the causes.

Terribly sorry for the spam, but this might help figure out the cause of the ban. You can change your vote if you are banned later on!

That's all we know. There's a ban. We don't know why.. But we do know it's not tied to the 3 most mentioned things.

 

[vernoulli]

Just checked today because I saw this post and panicked.
At first when I turned on my 3ds to check my friends list it said something along the lines of, "couldn't connect to server".
I have never seen this message before in my life so I assumed I was banned.
I try again, and it works -- I'm able to connect to everything so far.
I've also used countless things like CIAngel, JKSM, PKSM, etc. in the past few days too.

 

[Pheinte]

How can i check if SpotPass is on?

 

[novren]

Oe maybe they just check for a specific file on se card and therefore also ban stock 3ds?

They can't know which files you have on your sdcard. Otherwise you could have a file saying "I wanna kill the president of the USA" (I don't, mr. FBI/CIA director, by the way, it's just an example) and that could get you arrested.

 

[Xanek]

If online play is banned, and the nnid can access the eshop, are we able to transfer the nnid to a unbanned console via system transfer and use it normally?

 

[zeldaism]

How can i check if SpotPass is on?

System settings> Internet >spotpass

 

[SkyDX]

Would that show up in spotpass? I assumed that was a purely aesthetic thing?

I thought so aswell but if Nintendo somehow updated the data-collection via Spotpass it might now include that information. As far as I know the string gets patched in the RAM only so if Nintendo collects the system-information via NAND files they can't see it, if they however pull the string from the RAM then it should show on their end

 

[novren]

If online play is banned, and the nnid can access the eshop, are we able to transfer the nnid to a unbanned console via system transfer and use it normally?

We don't know. Your NNID might not be banned, but might be on some list and might be banned later on. It doesn't sound very likely since not everyone has got an NNID set up, but who knows.

 

[toberkel]

Is it possible to downgrade your 3ds to 11.3? If they're able to detect CFW on 11.4....

Sent from my SM-T280 using Tapatalk

They can detect older versions too. Because we don't know how they are detecting it. I think streetpass or freeshop's fault... But we don't know yet.

 

[LunarD3ATH]

I doubt it, at least not as the main cause. That being said, it is possible that opening the friends stuff between the hours of X and Y is one of the things they look for and may slightly contribute to a ban.

In other words, it is quite possible that doing or having certain "suspicious" things gives you a certain number of "potential ban points" and once it goes over a certain number then you get banned because it is extremely likely you are using a modded system.

That would be a terrible way of doing things, as worrying about being banned doesn't make you a hacker... although this is Nintendo we're talking about. Logic and reason has gone out the window in the video game industry and protection of profits seems to be the main priority.

 

[TheDarkGreninja]

Exactly, if they decide they want to ban anyone who has a person on their friends list with a modded system then they can. If they want to ban anyone who visited Miiverse on a Monday between 11:00am and 11:01 central time last week then they can. If they want to ban anyone whose system serial number ends in the number "5" they can. Read the TOS, they can ban for any or no reason.

Yes, they can that doesnt mean it is correct.

 

[sTo0z]

I think you guys need to realize that it's probably not one single, common element that everyone got tagged for. Nintendo could have been flagging for multiple purposes for some time. Likely it is a combination of factors that they all piled into one wave.

It could be one or many of any of the things mentioned in this thread so far.

With that out of the way, here's my report:

System: Old 3DS
Running: B9S + latest Luma + 11.4
Status: Unbanned - Loaded friend list, went online, rebooted completely, went back to friend list successfully.
Additional info: This is a very lightly used system. Rarely online, has 0 friends on it. Minor freeShop use, that's about it. SpotPass/StreetPass are on. No save editing.

System: New 3DS XL
Running: B9S + latest Luma + 11.4
Status: Unbanned - Loaded friend list, went online, rebooted completely, went back to friend list successfully.
Additional info: Heavy freeShop use, rarely online, small friend list updated long ago. SpotPass/StreetPass are on. No save editing.

I have 2 more Old 3DS XL that are still on A9LH + 11.2 somewhere around here, but haven't checked them.

 

[LunarD3ATH]

Yes, they can that doesnt mean it is correct.

Sadly there is no law protecting users from companies doing something "incorrect" with their online services.

 

[e398]

Still not banned, recently bought a used N3DS and installed boot9 last week. What if this is maybe is the freaking Playlog app which has info about all that custom cias that we are using and have nothing to do with nintendo? I remember having homebrew in your xbox 360 historic was pretty much an instagib from microsoft.

 

[MasterJ360]

Looks like im safe for now checked both Wii U/3DS Friends list and no error. Hopefully we will find out whats giving Nintendo the red flag b/c I haven't used Freeshop since the legitimate releases of pkmn Sun/Moon
but never played online battles tho pkhex or not. and yeah my 3DS has Boot9Strap

 

[FortuneHatter]

What we know so far:

1. It's not B9S, freeshop, or any specific games.

2. It's not tied to specific firmware or CFW.

3. Nintendo is being absolutely weird about it.

I can only think of an internal detection. There's no other reason as to why they would - and COULD - ban anyone this fast, this quick, and this amount in a short span of time.

It feels like a switch just got flicked and all of us just got banned second by second.

The the question is; if it is internal, how did they do it? what source did they use? what did they infiltrate? what algorithm they used?

 

[Edwin_Redfield]

Unfortunately, they said that they won't relieve anyone of their ban

I see...so what is the next steps of the piracy community?

 

[ecko]

Yes, they can that doesnt mean it is correct.

It doesn't matter if it's morally correct or not.
The only thing that ever matters for companies is PR and keeping the investors happy.

 

[Flame]

they can take our lives but they'll never take our FREEDOM!