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Switch hacked through old webkit exploit

oti

Banned
I hope it's full of hacks that leads to emulation. I then might get one.

Imagine being able to dump a copy of every Pokemon game on this.

Aren't there already Windows/Android devices that let you do this? Just buy one of those instead of a Switch?
 

test_account

XP-39C²
Yeah. Nintendo are using a webbrowser from some unknown company.

It's obvious it'd be crap.
Google, Mozilla, Apple, Microsoft expend quite a lot of effort into security of their web browsers.
Webkit isnt some unknown thing though. Safari (Apple) is built upon Webkit for example. All previous console browsers is also built upon Webkit as far as i know.
 
Amateur hour. Thankfully, the solution is trivial: use an up to date version of WebKit (that you should have used in the first place you absolute morons).
 

Hasney

Member
I'm not defending them or attacking them either.

I'm just saying that, despite a web browser being a common vector for attacks on any device, we don't have evidence that that was the reason why a web browser app wasn't available at launch - seeing how barebones the whole launch is/was. Especially as a web browser is implemented anyway for captivity portals which hackers would get easily access to.

Imo things just point to Nintendo wanting to have a very feature-basic Switch at launch, whether by choice or due to time constraints.

I mean, considering there is a fully-fledged browser in there and they just didn't create a shortcut to it means that it certainly wasn't time constraints, so it's by choice. Why that choice was made (and I do think it was anti-hacking since Wii U, 3DS and the PS4 browser also made by Netfront have been exploted) is the speculation.
 

jon bones

hot hot hanuman-on-man action
I hope it's full of hacks that leads to emulation. I then might get one.

Imagine being able to dump a copy of every Pokemon game on this.

Yeah, lots of kids like piracy - as an adult with a good job, I'd rather pay for VC releases and ensure the system has a healthy marketplace.
 

Kudo

Member
Webkit isnt some unknown thing though. Safari (Apple) is built upon Webkit for example. All previous console browsers is also built upon Webkit as far as i know.

Switch browser actually identifies as Safari, if you post images on Twitter the email you get for new login says the it was made with Safari.
 

RPGam3r

Member
Nintendo should really take a minute or two to go over the OWASP top ten. They wouldn't have this issue if they had. Not that it can't be fixed.
 
Yeah, lots of kids like piracy - as an adult with a good job, I'd rather pay for VC releases and ensure the system has a healthy marketplace.

Problem is Nintendo dripfeeds the VC releases and a ton of games never get a release at all.

Then there are stupid shit like with Sony and Vita emulation where the most popular games you couldn't buy even tho they were proven to work 100%.
 

filly

Member
Third parties are probably changing their minds on their future switch portfolio as we speak.

Don't forget though.... every game has a unique ID bound to the cart. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this represents the first time something like this has happened. I think online play might be safe from hackers...
 
With how cheap Switch dev kits reportedly are, if you're just looking for a Switch unit to run your own code on the official route may end up being simpler.



Not speculated, known. There's FreeBSD license info somewhere in the system menus.

Do you know the official way to get a devkit? Their developer site only has WiiU and 3ds stuff right now. Contacting dev support didn't help either...
 

Jonnax

Member
Webkit isnt some unknown thing though. Safari (Apple) is built upon Webkit for example. All previous console browsers is also built upon Webkit as far as i know.

Yes. And Chrome used to be based on WebKit before they forked it.

But my point is more that this company is likely packaging up an old version of webkit that is vulnerable to old bugs.


It looks like Netfront is the company:
http://eu.access-company.com/press-...-its-latest-nintendo-switch-game-console.html
 

mieumieu

Member
Yeah. Nintendo are using a webbrowser from some unknown company.

It's obvious it'd be crap.
Google, Mozilla, Apple, Microsoft expend quite a lot of effort into security of their web browsers.

The same company made almost all web browsers on PS and Nintendo platforms. Who is to say that other manufacturers would definitely make safer browsers for consoles?
 

test_account

XP-39C²
Yes. And Chrome used to be based on WebKit before they forked it.

But my point is more that this company is likely packaging up an old version of webkit that is vulnerable to old bugs.


It looks like Netfront is the company:
http://eu.access-company.com/press-...-its-latest-nintendo-switch-game-console.html
Understand. I agree that the day one patch for Switch should have included the latest Webkit version.

EDIT: Assuming that the hack is based on the latest firmware update. If its the old one, it would make a bit more sense since production probably started at least some months ago.
 

Rebel Leader

THE POWER OF BUTTERSCOTCH BOTTOMS
Quick Google suggests that this particular issue was fixed in August of last year. Absolutely no excuse to not use a more recent build of WebKit.
Well for non updated switch it makes some sense

Did the hacker state if the switch was updated? Because if it was then yes i agree


(I tried looking but I'm not in a reliable area for my phone coverage)
 
Yeah, lots of kids like piracy - as an adult with a good job, I'd rather pay for VC releases and ensure the system has a healthy marketplace.
Oh please. People have been paying for VC for years and the marketplace is still garbage.

Custom firmware doesn't equate to piracy. As much as some people like to push this as fact.
 

Seventy70

Member
Nintendo rushing this thing out could potentially really come back to bite them in the ass. This is only a userland exploit, but iirc, even the 3DS took a long time to get userland. There's no real prediction how long until someone gets kernel access though. It could be next week or 5 years or maybe never.

With them rushing it out though, the chances of there being an hole somewhere is higher. If this thing is broken open this early, it's not going to be good for the system at all.
 

jwk94

Member
Doesn't the Switch run Safari? When I logged into my Nintendo Account on launch day, I got an email that said I had logged in from a Safari browser.
 

Vinnie0003

Neo Member
I guess Nintendo will keep updating the firmware like they do on the 3DS, and I don't think hackers ever had much problems with Nintendo consoles. This will potentially increase sales for the hardware imo..
 
Doesn't the Switch run Safari? When I logged into my Nintendo Account on launch day, I got an email that said I had logged in from a Safari browser.

It's built on WebKit, much like Safari and chrome, although the latter has so many changes it's considered "chromium" and recognized by a difference UserAgent I guess
 

Chinbo37

Member
Yeah, lots of kids like piracy - as an adult with a good job, I'd rather pay for VC releases and ensure the system has a healthy marketplace.


This post is hilarious. Let me know when Nintendo bothers to put all the pokemon games on their marketplace for switch.
 

J@hranimo

Banned
Surprised no one made this thread yesterday.

I don't feel bad at all. Maybe this will make them push new updates out quicker?
 

Fou-Lu

Member
Yeah, lots of kids like piracy - as an adult with a good job, I'd rather pay for VC releases and ensure the system has a healthy marketplace.

Emulation does not equal piracy and MANY of the classic games I would love to play portably are never going to come to VC.
 

Vuze

Member
Third parties are probably changing their minds on their future switch portfolio as we speak.

Don't forget though.... every game has a unique ID bound to the cart. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this represents the first time something like this has happened. I think online play might be safe from hackers...
Nah, 3DS cartridges also had an unique header that was required for and shared when doing online play. Not sure about pre-3DS though
 

Atheerios

Member
Before this thread goes wild, you need to understand that this doesn't mean anything.

While yes, we have a webkit exploit, that doesn't mean we will be able to load Homebrew or game ROMs any time soon. Just look at the PS4, webkit exploits are pretty common but we don't get much from them.

I hope the Switch isn't completely hacked for a lengthy number of years.
 

Parahan

Member
I have often seen these hackers give out a disclaimer " We do no support piracy" and wish they did something about that. Maybe limit giving out tools that allow pirated games?

They should stick to adding cool features that's never gonna be available like maybe port a "PS remote play app," which would be amazing on switch hardware.
 

fireflame

Member
How can so big companies have so obvious weaknesses? Is it really impossible to build a safe stronghold?

And even so there are a lot of honest people who want take advantage of the hack, i am not sure the piracy is that spread among console users. Let us believe in people's integrity.

What i find annoying is that stuff like backing up save files is impossible just because they wanna prevent piracy but it still happens.
 

Somnid

Member
Nintendo should really take a minute or two to go over the OWASP top ten. They wouldn't have this issue if they had. Not that it can't be fixed.

The hack itself is constructing a particular page that breaks webkit's sandbox, it has nothing to do with web app XSS vulnerability.

I was pretty much expecting this. The problem with portable devices is they need browsers but once you provide a browser you are stuck maintaining it forever, you can't just use any old version. You need a dedicated team pushing security patches constantly and web platform updates at least once a year.
 
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