Hacker unlocks the 3DS system kernel key to running pirated software

Welshy · 2013-01-04T12:39:40Z

Currently, Neimod’s hack uses a very specific save game in a certain retail 3DS game to exploit the handheld’s hardware. The hacker doesn’t want to reveal which game permits this hack, because Nintendo could then easily patch it.

- Comments (46)

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chadboban4878d ago

Hmmm... sounds quite similar to a method I've heard of where a Twilight Princess save game is used to install the Homebrew Channel to the Wii.

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Kratoscar20084878d ago

Indeed thats how my brother is able to run it.

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Knight_Crawler4877d ago

If this is true then you can expect the 3DS numbers to triple in the coming months...Smart move Nintendo.

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Gamer19824877d ago

Indeed DS sales were amazing but piracy really helped. I dont know a single person with legit games. They all have R4 carts or similar.

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Omega Zues4877d ago

Developers cry.

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NYC_Gamer4878d ago

It was bound to get cracked open like every other piece of hardware

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3GenGames4878d ago

Especially when they didn't include the best security device there is against it: A way to program the console. Look at the PS3...it wasn't touched until they took Other OS away. Every other console was.

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lodossrage4877d ago

George Hotz actually used other OS and a dongle to "hack" the ps3, THEN other OS was taken away and he found a way to do it without other OS being there.

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3GenGames4877d ago

He hacked it because it was a challenge. Because nobody messed with it. Okay he did it, but who cares? It still delayed the hacking by SIX YEARS. Get over yourself, if they don't include a way to program the hardware directly, they should be hacked WIDE open. Piracy is the punishment.

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shutUpAndTakeMyMoney4877d ago

wiiU running homebrew day 1..
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

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MooseWI4878d ago

Sadly, you can buy flash cards and have unlimited games, know a few people >_>

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Venoxn4g4878d ago

... in DS mode

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Samus HD4878d ago

you mean no 3ds games??!

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Eamon4878d ago

Actually, the currently existing flashcarts only run DS games.

As of now, no way to run pirated 3DS games.

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Samus HD4877d ago

thanks Eamon.. Bubble up

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FriedGoat4877d ago

It's been known that the old DS flashcards work on the 3DS in DS mode since launch. What this will enable eventually is full 3DS mode support for homebrew. Seems the developers are activley against piracy so no need to worry until some black hats get hold of it.

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+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4877d ago

the worst4878d ago

yes this is what i wanted to hear

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Kratoscar20084878d ago

You are the worst ;)

Anyway i think it was going to happen to some extent and now that people are really upset with Nintendo for region lock the system will be more hacked that even the DS (The psp in second place)because people are mad with nintendo.

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ElectricKaibutsu4877d ago

I don't like piracy but I HATE region locking :(

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ShaunCameron4877d ago (Edited 4877d ago )

@ ElectricKaibutsu

But unfortunately region-locking is here to stay as long as economic and cultural protectionism exist.

Don't be surprised if Sony goes to back region-locking for their next home console or handheld. Besides, region-freedom has done nothing for them except lose money.

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ElectricKaibutsu4877d ago

@ShaunCameron

I'm afraid you might be right about that. It's a shame because I chose a PS3 over a 360 because I live away from my home country so having a region free system is important to me.

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FriedGoat4877d ago

Bloody Sony, I love them but they got LikSang shut down because of selling imported goods and then they go and make the Vita region free.
bleh

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+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4877d ago

deletingthis346753344878d ago

So piracy is justified for Nintendo but not Sony, or so I gathered from your comment.

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Yodagamer4878d ago

Well obviously it's won't be hard to patch since the guy isn't even giving away what game was used to hack it. I don't see it lasting long.

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Jadedz4878d ago

Valve's my next hope (steam box) if that ever happens.

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JBernardo4878d ago (Edited 4878d ago )

What the heck is that even suppose to mean? You are implying that since the console has been hacked it is now dead? lol If anything, it "gained" more life: homebrews are not bad things IMO, it actually brings cool things to the console. I remember, back in the PSP days, the GBA emulator which was quite enjoyable to me (I used to play pokemon emerald on it, and yes, I own the game!). That said, of course there is the flip of the coin (game piracy), but I am quite happy with this news actually: might as well get a 3DS now...

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Jadedz4878d ago

Both the Wii and NDS suffered significantly from this. PSP, Dreamcast - it scares off developers, and then support wanes.

http://www.vg247.com/2013/0...

Jools Watsham (Renegade Kid) thinks so, at least.

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JBernardo4878d ago

NDS and Wii sold a lot of systems, I don't see any problem in that. Scared the developers? I've seen a lot of good games in the Wii/DS/PSP, I don't know what you are talking about (just off the top of my head, I remember games like MGS Peace Walker, Pokemon Black/White, Zelda: Skyward Sword, etc). As for the Dreamcast, it wasn't a great success anyway, so I don't know why you brought that up; and I'm pretty sure that that lack of success was not due to piracy!
Piracy has been around for a long time, I can't recall any console system that has not been hacked, it's just a matter of time. Saying that you are no longer interested in a particular system just because it was hacked is just baffling to me, but hey, it's your opinion and I have to respect that.

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animegamingnerd4878d ago

by that logic the PS3 and 360 would have died years ago

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fatstarr4878d ago

If Nintendo never gave people excuses
like region locking and stuff like that.
then there wouldn't be that 1% niche crowd that has a need for hacking the system.

if you just give everyone everything from the jump then the only reason left on the table to hack is to pirate, and you cant justify that. you just admit that you like to pirate and play free games.

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Welshy4878d ago (Edited 4878d ago )

"if you just give everyone everything from the jump then the only reason left on the table to hack is to pirate"

And there lies your problem. Hackers will ALWAYS find a way to "justify" what they do knowing full well it leads to piracy and devs dropping support in the long run. Hackers will never be satisfied by what manufacturers provide out of the box, and i'd put a large sum of money that even if a 100% completely open platform was released, they would still try some exploits or some form of hack on it.

They can shout "we only done it for homebrew" till the cows come home, but at the end of the day you need to be stupid (which these guys clearly aren't) to think that it won't at the very least end up as piracy in another hackers hands eventually.

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MegaLagann4878d ago

Exactly. It doesn't matter if the system was region free or if a game is only five dollars, the people who pirate will still pirate no matter what. I mean hell look at the PSP, region free and was a hacker/pirate's paradise.

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younghavok4878d ago

All I wanna see are bricks. Somebody will blab the big secret, nintendo will release a system update, and if there is a gaming god there will be a brick in place of every hacked 3ds.

A man can hope can't he?

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Plagasx4878d ago

Damn, I just sold my 3DS XL too...

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LOL_WUT4877d ago

Time to get a 3DS then. ;)

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tachy0n4877d ago

PSVita is next.....

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tubers4877d ago

Yup.. except that it's gonna be a hundred times worse if it hits VITA games.

Ninty's pretty big.. they can handle piracy just fine..
DS has a much wider variety of users.. more dumb old folks and kids and parents who don't know how to pirate..

but the VITA has more tweeners/adults who are geeks.. GG if VITA games start getting pirated.

Yeah, yeah.. IK, I don't have articles to back it up.. but it's too obvious.

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MoXxXi4877d ago

BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD PS VITA GAMES WORTH PIRATING KYUK KYUK KYUK

No but seriously, there are like no games worth pirating, so.....

I don't see a Vita hack being useful at this point in time. Maybe in the future, but until the Vita actually becomes a useful system, it would be a waste of time to hack it. Besides for emulators, I guess.

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TacoTaru4877d ago

more dumb old folks and kids and parents who don't know how to pirate..

Maybe more people with morals and honor and integrity than the thieves who steal games. More people who would "do the right thing" even when nobody is looking rather than steal from others. What a stupid comment tubers.

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megamanX24877d ago (Edited 4877d ago )

lol why is this being advertised? internet sites like this are nosy as hell....hey look illegal things are happening look see.

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ziggurcat4877d ago

bu-bu-but i thought that the previous hack was harmless, and only used to unlock the region? bu-bu-but i thought hackers' intentions were good? /sarcasm

*facepalm*

we see time, and time again that even the most innocent of hacks will get developed further, and eventually lead to piracy. this garbage is exactly why we can't have nice things, and why companies tighten their restrictions..

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