tech e blog

03/19/2006

XBox 360 DVD Firmware Hacked

It was bound to happen sooner or later, a team of hackers lead by "TheSpecialist" have cracked the 360's DVD drive firmware which allowed them to run a backup of Project Gotham Racing 3. Unfortunately, the modified firmware will not be publicly released for download. Video clip after the jump. [qj.net and engadget]

"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 probalby not be within the means of the average person."
[ShoutIt]

This entry was posted on 03/19/2006 03:45am and is filed under Video Games .
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There are 80 comments about this post (4 pages).

1
Yes! Very nice! That is great work. We should never think, that any system is save!
2
Hilarious
3
I So love this! Hope we will see some moore soon.
4
So whats gona happen? Well this is my view on it: They can't release the firmware hack to the public cos then microsoft could firewall it. So instead they wait till enough current modle 360's have been sold, till their are too many 360's on the market with the (what will be) 'old firmware' that even if they released a firewalled version of the 360, it would not effect pirating on a large scale because there were already to many old fireware 360's out in the world.. Now just thinking on that. It is possible that microsoft released a patch/upgrade over xbox live that forced you to update the firmware or just do the whole genuine check like windows... anything possible but I'm sure if they did that it would sure form a revolt from many. Anyone else care to comment?
5
The first MY A**
6
And there goes Microsofts ability to compete in this generation of gaming.
7
This doesn't impress me, hacking a game system seem's kinda pathetic to me. Go hack a bank, or My Space, an XBOX 360...Your so extreme with your song, i bet your so cool... nah, ugly.
8
LOL The only thing that can be said in this situation is good job guys, keep up the good work
9
My Space.. Wtf would u wanna hack that?... there's really no point to doin that.
10
Well Grant... once again... i would like to see you Crack a Game console... i mean... seriously.. internet hacking is way more amature than hacking a Game console.. stop being an a hole.... you probably couldnt hack a watch...
11
there is probily another 360 with a real PGR3 disk in the scart in the back of the TV, because if you look at the av cable he has plugged in the TV you are looking at, its not official, because there are no HD conections on the cable, so you can't see whats on the "modded" 360 (and on the unofficial av cable the video connection is not yellow, so its probily blank.)
12
God lol, fine, fine, im verrrry impressed by hacking the 360. Why would i hack a watch...? These comment's are meant to show your opinion on whatever is being shown. Im impressed, but the importance of hacking a game system, rather than hacking something more worthwhile (eBaum's and his evil of media stealing). Plus if this ever get's big, think of all the money these game developer's who spend million's on there blockbuster title's (Halo 3 anyone). And how much revenue would be lost if all you did was download it off of Bearshare and pop it in the disc drive. It's dope, i can't hack it, and i doubt you can either, and stop trying to 1 up me on everything i say.
13
Still a very cool video, BIG PROPZ to hacker guy, well done. If everyone got their 360 tweaked, MS will probably start selling games that only run on updated fireware, and everyone else who soldered there 360 will probably not be able to play new games??????? Just a theory tho.
14
the cable is a standerd xbox 360 non hd cable issued with the core system good job guys keep up the good work ...
15
Good work!! Don't listen to these other people, f microsoft! nice 1!!!!!!!!!! might buy a 360 tommorrow
16
its not about piracy, its about company's being to ignorant and smartass about their hardware. The piracy will work just like the PSP A game will comeout for updated firmware. There will be either a patch for the ISO or the xbox to avoid that. But Burning games isnt as fun as playing them off the hard drive, now that would be sweet.
17
Well for people like me who don't have any use for xbox live, this is great news! burnt disks a plenty!!!! gimmie gimmie gimmie!!!!!!!
18
Fckin quality
19
fantast
20
Yes yes, we're all sure you're the best hacker in the world, Grant. Good for you, and all that junk. Glad to see that progress is finally being made on this. While I personally don't think that we'll see anything even remotely close to the early versions of the Xbox being modded, within the next year or so for the 360, it's still kind of fun to see the beginnings of things.
21
This vid just may be a hack itself, Hope not but till I see it wid my own 360 then I’ll believe it. Some dude up a few lines said what I was thinking. What if there was another 360 connected to the rear of the TV and the TV Video selection was set to AV2? Or the disk inserted in the viewable 360 was an original with a blank CD Stomp hand written on it? All the same it has made interesting reading/conversations and Hopes  t.i.e
22
Could it be that is is just a dvd of the start of project gotham. Im not going to be won over by just that, i could do that myself...
23
Where is the proof that this is even a hack? people are quick to believe anything shown to them. They will not release the hack, the video is not conclusive (like someone else mentioned, there could very well be another xbox 360 at the back) it would be great if this was for real, but without real evidance this is all just fluff
24
first of Ritz, you know nothing about the situation! tard! TheSpecialist and his crew are not in the buisiness of hacking consoles to screw the manuracturers over, hell, they hack computer software 90% of the time anyways. they only do these hacks to prove that they can. they do not release these hacks to the public, cause like i said, they dont do it to make money or screw people (they could have dont that with the original xbox, but they didnt) secondly, if they were to release it, they would just wait around for alot of 360 to be produced so "microsoft couldnt do anything about it." if this crack was release a year from now or tomorrow,l it would be nullified on 90% of the 360 out there because they are on xbox live. all micro. has to do when you log onto live is issue your 360 to do a manditory download of the firmware fix and your 360 is back to factory standard. now for those without live accounts would be in the clear if a crack was released. congrats to TheSpecialist and his team for proving themselves once again!
25
HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS ARE FUCKING FAGGOTS THINKING YOUR COOL WITH PRODIGY PLAYING. I BET ITS FAKE ANYWAY WITH ANOTHER 360 RUNNING OUT OF SHOT.FUCK YOU CUNTS YOUR SHIT.
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