Xbox 360 Hacked! - Backup Discs Now Playable!

PowerHouseDan

PSP homebrew developer Nytrix, from our forums, has confirmed an earth shattering breakthrough in the Xbox 360 hacking scene today. As you know, we earlier, reported on the issue of backup games being playable on the Xbox 360. The author of the video was unwilling to give out the technique that he used to accomplish this feat. However, Nytrix has gone above and beyond and determined the methods used and claims to have duplicated the procedure, along with providing more information on exactly how and why this is possible. Apparently this is only applicable (at this time) on the Hitachi drives that come with the Xbox 360, however we expect to see breakthroughs in all drives very soon. Here is a quote from our forums from Nytrix.

I have figured out how it was done in the video. (the video of the guy playing the PGR3 backup) here's the instructions, I am currently playing Full Auto (Backed up).

It's a modified firmware of the Xbox 360 DVD-ROM drive. As you (should) know, all Xbox 360 executables (XEX files) are signed by Microsoft (with a private key only MS has). This means that if you try to change anything to the XEX file, the signature will be wrong and the file will not boot.

Now ... to protect from booting an exact 1:1 copy of a game from a DVD-+R, microsoft gave each XEX file a 'mediaflag'. This mediaflag tells the Xbox 360 from which media (cd-r, dvd-r, dvd+r, dvd-rw, hdd, dvdxbox, dvdxbox360, ...). Changing this mediaflag in XEX is not an option as it'll break the signature (see above), so ... what's done in this firmware hack is breaking the detection of the disc.


As you can see, he has found the flaw in Microsoft's self professed "bullet proof security" by simply modifying the firmware of the DVD drive to allow backup copies of official games to boot. Now as simple as this may sound, it does require some advanced soldering skills, and will probaby not be within the means of the average person. However, with this astonishing breakthrough, we do fully expect to see Xbox 360 DVD ROM's for sale on ebay with the hacked firmware soon.

ianmc38

Sweet

CiaranC

I posted this (non copy & paste) earlier over on the modding forum, complete with links to the technical info.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054904989

PowerHouseDan

BTW to check what type of drive you have.....

CiaranC

The copy and pasted article above is rubbish. Only The Specialist et al. from xboxhacker.net can do this, and they havent released the full hack into the wild. They have however, documented their work in various xboxhacker threads, but they did the same for the xbox 1 and no-one has reproduced it. Granted, there will be far more interest in reproducing this one.

Even if a full working method was released today, you would have to desolder the DVD firmware chip, ascertain the unique key for your xbox/dvd combo, flash the chip with a flash programmer, resolder it and reassemble your 360. Not exactly user friendly.

The suggestion of ebayed DVD drives is also nonsense, as the challange response on each firmware chip is based on a key unique to that particular 360. "Premodded" consoles on the other hand...

Even so, this doesnt allow for homebrew one way or the other.

Dont be at yourself

Yep, and please keep in mind that, as this mod's only application is piracy, any links with how-to guides (when available) will not be tolerated.

lafors

CiaranC wrote:

The copy and pasted article above is rubbish. Only The Specialist et al. from xboxhacker.net can do this, and they havent released the full hack into the wild. They have however, documented their work in various xboxhacker threads, but they did the same for the xbox 1 and no-one has reproduced it. Granted, there will be far more interest in reproducing this one.

Even if a full working method was released today, you would have to desolder the DVD firmware chip, ascertain the unique key for your xbox/dvd combo, flash the chip with a flash programmer, resolder it and reassemble your 360. Not exactly user friendly.

The suggestion of ebayed DVD drives is also nonsense, as the challange response on each firmware chip is based on a key unique to that particular 360. "Premodded" consoles on the other hand...

Even so, this doesnt allow for homebrew one way or the other.

Quite true, seeing as homebrew would not be able to work then the only application would be piracy, most people couldn't be bothered. Plenty of people chipped their original xbox's, most wouldn't have the ability to do this mod, its quite a bit more difficult.

I read that the firmware would have to be changed for each game (dunno how true it is) and also that this will not change the region code of the player.

In fairness the guys who originally did it were right not to release it. They said they only do it to find weakness in security and the thrill of beating it, and not for the piracy.

Personnaly, after seeing how good xbox live is now, I would never want to risk losing it. Would it be possible for Microsoft to be able to find this bypass, by checking the xbox through live?

Dwaz

Yes I seen a hacked xbox 360 playing PGR 3.Where can you buy the chip for it.

GrumPy

Dwaz wrote:

Yes I seen a hacked xbox 360 playing PGR 3.Where can you buy the chip for it.

Did you even read ANYTHING? :rolleyes: Theres no chip, and this news is months old anyway.