XBOX360 Hypervisor vulnerability found in kernel versions 4532 and 4548 |
If there was a race as to which console get an exploit first, the Xbox 360 now gets the dubious honor of having the first publically available exploit usable by anyone who manages to jump all the hurdles while creating a proof-of-concept.In case people don't know, the 360 has a hypervisor which basically keeps all the running software in check, making sure that it's all signed. If you're Microsoft, one of the biggest advantages of a hypervisor is that it doesn't allow hackers to use buffer overflows for exploits.
These buffer overflows have been the bane for Sony on the PSP. Anyone who owns a PSP would know that practically all the exploits have been using a buffer overflow to get their unsigned code to run.
Some anonymous hackers have succeeded in getting unsigned code to run by exploiting the hypervisor, allowing it to run unsigned, unencrypted code. While the hack details itself are pretty technical, here are a few things which I'm sure everyone will understand:
Systems Affected: All Xbox 360 systems with a kernel version of 4532 (released Oct 31, 2006) and 4548 (released Nov 30, 2006). Versions prior to 4532 are not affected. Bug was fixed in version 4552.
We have discovered a vulnerability in the Xbox 360 hypervisor that allows privilege escalation into hypervisor mode. Together with a method to inject data into non-privileged memory areas, this vulnerability allows an attacker with physical access to an Xbox 360 to run arbitrary code such as alternative operating systems with full privileges and full hardware access.
Unprivileged code interacts with the hypervisor via the "sc" ("syscall") instruction, which causes the machine to enter hypervisor mode. The vulnerability is a result of incomplete checking of the parameters passed to the syscall dispatcher.
Now the question most of you have in mind: "Will I be able to run the hack on my 360?". The answer is "yes" if your kernel version is one of the two which has been affected (4532 and 4548). If you've recently been on Xbox Live, you've probably upgraded your kernel to version 4552. You can check it by going to the "System" blade on the Dashboard and selecting the last option - "System Info". The last line will tell you the dashboard and kernel versions of your 360's OS. Here's a picture I took:
As you can see, my 360's kernel has been upgraded to version 4552, which means I won't be able to use the hack until something new is found. As for questions about possibly downgrading your kernel, if you've already upgraded to 4552, there is no way to downgrade it. If you're one of the lucky ones to have an older kernel version, you can remove a resistor on the 360's motherboard before upgrading. The resistor "R6T3", once removed, will allow you to downgrade your 360's OS even after you've upgraded it to 4552.
For more technical info, make your way to the SecurityFocus site using the link below.
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Comments [refresh]
i know for sure that i have a low firmware because I dont even have a system info in the dashboard. I have a few questions
1.Where is the specific location of the resistor?
2.Do i need to unsolder it, or can i jus cut it off?
3.What would be better for me, wait for a downgrader or wait for blaster360?
i'm waiting for BLASTER 360 - dont wanna dismantle my 360 just 2 flash the drive.
Blaster360 is a DVD firmware hack related tool. The DVD firmware hack is only used for playing game backups on the 360.
You don't need Blaster360 to update your firmware. You install it so you don't have to open your 360 every time you need to update to the latest hacked firmware version. You need to open your 360 to install Blaster360 anyway and it looks butt ugly anyway, so no thanks.
This hack gave the user full access to the system to run any code they wanted. They alerted MS about the vulnerability and MS released a update in January which completed removed the vulnerability. It's possible that by released details on the hack that other hackers will experiment with his hack and find new holes in the security. Personally I don't know if I'll ever have homebrew running on my 360 because I don't want to give up Live and it's probably not likely that an undetectable/unpatchable hack we surface anytime soon. The cost of an extra 360 doesn't justify the need for homebrew, I'm still happy with my Xbox1.
People who hack consoles for the purposes of avoiding paying for titles are losers. Complete selfish pricks who have no idea how much developers spend and risk to bring them the latest game.
I hope your 360's die horribly and take down your house ..l.,
Ihope your mom is proud of you. In your post you accuse people that hack consoles as losers and then you wish them death? What's wrong with downloading a game to try it out before purchasing it? I do that all the time and it has saved me from wasting money on crappy software that is overpriced even when it is free. Why don't you go listen to nickelback you retarded assmonkey.
I'd consider grabbing one of these boxen to start hacking linux onto it.
A '360 should make a great general use box, 3 cores, 512MB ram, etc...
I don't mind screwing microsoft out of their hardware...
your so lame your just jealous cause you not got the balls to mod your console XD
and when your legit 360 breaks down and MS say no we wont repair for free we ant more than 50% what the consoles worth to fix the CD drive you be kicking yourself you didt screw them when you had the chance the only people at fault with a hacked console is MS its there fault it was hacked they designed the thing but as usualy MS cant protect a titanium wall
While I agree in some respects with po0, I also disagree. I personally mod my Consoles in order to run homebrew. I find ntohing reprehensible about that. I'm not sealing anything.... All the programs I run are free and open sourced. While I don't necessisarily agree with the pirating and prolifiration of illegal copies of games, I"m not opposed to it. The people that are loyal to one company (EPIC, BUNGIE, ect..) will go out and buy the games they make. And if they aren't loyal and steal the game, there's a chance that they could like it and actually go out and but that game, OR the sequal if there is one.
On top of that, the link provided in the article says that the patch was released today. and once you've updated there's no going back. Learning from the PSP firmware hacking scene, Microsoft is now very quick to respond to the reports of vunerablities in their code and they'll always be that way. Finding a stable, undetectable way to get past these updates will be the veritable "holy grail" of 360 hacking. Not impossible, but Damn near it.
"downloading a game to try it before purchasing it."
I do that too! But for some reason.... I ALWAYS forget to delete it, and never purchase the game.
does that make you feel cool or somthing? you have way to much money on your hands if you are going to go out and buy a 360 JUST to put linux on it.
@R.Kelly - If you read my post correctly you'd see it was directed to those who would hack for the sole purpose of stealing games.
Also i wished people's Xbox's to die and there houses to burn down i didnt mention them being in it at the time.
Ive wished death on people for alot less pal so get bent.
Downloading games to try them first? Denial pal.
If you cant afford to buy the games then you should NOT buy a next gen console its that simple, just the same as you dont go out and buy a V8 car if you cant afford the petrol.
I also agree the excuse of -
Try the full game before you buy
is bull*****.
Xbox live gives you the chance to try before you buy almost every game and that usual even includes One or Two Multiplayer levels as well.
Watch them cry its a MS 360 fault when a Firmware update kills their tampered machines..
And beginh just go back to the PS3 section no point in your post here......
The first hack for the PSP was NOT an overflow, it was code ran straight off the memorystick cuz Sony thought nobody would try running code that way (obviously they were wrong...).
What I'm trying to say is that all code looked like it was authentic to the PSP (there was no bad code).
It didn't use standard C tho.
"i download a game to try it out before i buy"
stfu you prick. I dont think you ever delete the game even if you dont like it. po0 is right you guys are dumb mother *****ers. I would never dismantle my 360 even if i had one..
thats funny - i'm gonna dismantle my X360 as soon as a hack comes out + change the case @ the same time.
i'm gonna dismantle my PS3 when i get it - maybe add a rear USB port
same
I don't care if anyone wants to waste their own money to buy stuff and then break it. Stupid is as stupid does... But, if any of you thieves have ever had anything important stolen from you, try to remember the feelilngs you had when you figured out that you just got took. Do on to others... It's more than just a saying.
Now you can bluster about what I just wrote to you as being self-righteous if you want. It won't impress anyone. Being able to plug-in other people's hack code doesn't make you intelligent or cool. Stealing ***** definitely makes you a criminal *****.
Think about that!