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Linux Running on Xbox Without Modchip!

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the kinda-anyway dept.

NiteStar writes "It looks like people on xbox-scene.com and xboxhacker.net managed to run Xbox-Linux on a non-modded Xbox console. It requires no soldering at all - you don't even have to open up the Xbox. They are using an exploit in the saved game handling of the EA xbox game '007 Agent Under Fire'. It requires the original version of the 007 game and a memorycard you can connect to PC like the mega-X-key or datel's action replay. Apparently you can even build this memorycard yourself using a standard USB memstick." Frankly it seems like just soldering in the modchip would be easy, but big points for being clever!

9 of 258 comments (clear)

  1. Perhaps a link to the source would be in order by Call+Me+Black+Cloud · · Score: 4, Informative


    Here's the announcement in a forum...

  2. A bufferoverflow by rveno1 · · Score: 5, Informative

    ok all this is, is a buffer overflow exploit.

    a link to the code is:
    http://www.xbox-scene.com/007linux.txt
    it is uuencoded

    enjoy!

  3. Everything you need for running linux unmodded by FristPr0st · · Score: 4, Informative

    Here is the website which has the 007 saved games, a movie file, and instructions. http://kotisivu.mtv3.fi/vilz/unmod/

  4. Re:Hmm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    im no expert or anything so im just going to shoot in the dark. they modify a save game and when the game starts to load the savegame there is a bufferoverflow. then they know where the programmpointer is and they load some bootloader code in that memmory area.

  5. Re:clueless or troll? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Do you think that an average app is going to deal with /dev/psaux and /dev/input/mouse0 when the two use entirely different protocols?

    No, I would expect them to use X events, gpm or at a pinch, /dev/mouse (Which although the driver which drives /dev/mouse may change, does not mean that the software interface to the device node changes)

    The number of people who people who don't understand the basic premise of device abstraction is scary.

  6. Re:I Predicted This by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Teasing what key out? The only key stored on the xbox is the public key, and that key is well known IIRC. What we need is the private key that is used to sign the code of games.

  7. Mega X-Key by savvy · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://www.xbox-saves.com/ is where you can find more info on the Mega X-Key mentioned in the article, and they also have the save needed to get linux going in their saves archive.

  8. Re:And now I has linux... by janda · · Score: 2, Informative

    The exploit uses a buffer overflow to insert new code after the game has been verified as "being good". If you want to play something else, all you'd need to do is remove 007 game, insert new game, press "reset".

    --
    Karma: Food Fight (Mostly affected by Date Plate).
  9. Not quite... by boola-boola · · Score: 2, Informative
    "Frankly it seems like just soldering in the modchip would be easy, but big points for being clever!"

    This depends on whether or not you are actually good at soldering. I for one have destroyed many PSX's in the past due to my clumsiness. Regardless, CT forgot one important fact: if you mod your XboX, you will _permanently_ (well, without some creative hacking and another Xbox, which, in having one already defeats the purpose) lose the ability to use Xbox Live, as the Xbox's unique,internal serial number will become banned.