AfterDawn: News

Microsoft says Xbox Live will counter hacking efforts

Since the release of firmware modifications for the Xbox 360 console which allow the booting of backup copies of games, the sale of modified versions of the console in Korea have reportedly taken off. However, Microsoft has said it is confident that the DVD-ROM firmware hacks will be countered through Xbox Live updates and has downplayed the problem.

"We will not place too much attention on it," stated Xbox local product manager Do Jung-han who said he was confident that updates made available when you connect to Xbox Live is the solution. He also had some words that appear to be directed at both users running modified Xbox 360 consoles and those who hack the console.



"Microsoft has warned the people who try to spread the knowledge that they will be subjected to the law. The users of pirated consoles will not benefit from the hardware warranty and they will not be able to download important software upgrades through the Xbox Live network. So we don't think many people will try it," he said

However, local magazines are reporting that most people are purchasing modified versions of the Xbox 360 console to be able to purchase cheaper games. The price of a modified console is approximately KRW 70,000 (60 Euro) more. Pirates software for the console can then be bought and used for a low as KRW 15,000 (12 Euro), compared to the retail price of around KRW 40,000 (33 Euro).

Source:
GamesIndustry.biz

Written by: James Delahunty @ 9 Aug 2006 7:53

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• 57 comments

• gogochar

  A word to hackers, try not to boast about your success. It may help those desperate now, but in the long run, it won't only hurt honest paying customers.

  9.8.2006 07:59 #1

• richks

  33 Euro for an XBox 360 game?
  
  Holy moley, if they were actually that cheap here people wouldn't be looking at piracy so keenly!
  
  We're looking at £50 over here for most titles!

  9.8.2006 08:36 #2

• goodswipe

  1 4M t0 1337 t0 Pu2ch453 g4M35... 1 h4x02 7h3m...

  9.8.2006 11:50 #3

• mspurloc

  And I say Microsoft just cut itself out of the gaming market. UTTERLY CLUELESS!

  9.8.2006 13:42 #4

• ZippyDSM

  Uumm I am confused is this abut Moding or Hakcing Live? 0-o
  *L*
  

  9.8.2006 15:10 #5

• s3a

  So...bassically the 360 is now a big PSP. There will be need to emulate higher firmware's, etc. Modders beware, you're in for a nightmare!
  
  P.S.
  PC's are better...you don't have to put up with this "countering of hackers efforts" as much. Not to mention, the games are cheaper and that you could use it for many other purposes and you can play games and browse the net and do many other things for that matter, all at the same time!

  9.8.2006 15:19 #6

• ZippyDSM

  s3a
  I am not a die hard online player so if I got a Xbox I'd just update it via mod stuff.
  
  if the PC had all the games the 360 did there would be no need for a 360 *L*

  9.8.2006 15:38 #7

• gozilla

  Quote:Since the release of firmware modifications for the Xbox 360 console which allow the booting of backup copies of games, the sale of modified versions of the console in Korea have reportedly taken off.and who said piracy hurts?

  9.8.2006 17:03 #8

• ZippyDSM

  gozilla
  they want game sales but you know,if they made a mod version that let you copy games and sold it for 600 it would see like hopcakes 0_o
  
  wheres the fing inovation *L*
  hell charge 20 a month for active online and updates to ,there are thigns they could do but they dont want to.

  9.8.2006 17:16 #9

• sukhvail

  @gozilla- the console sales itself may have increased; however, microsoft sells the console at a loss, but makes money with game licensing. if games continue to be copied and sold, developers may not be so keen to develop games for a console that is so easily hacked, driving down the price they have to pay for licensing their games.

  9.8.2006 18:06 #10

• ZippyDSM

  But at the same time they could make a Exsream machine that allows copying but tis hardware is incabalitable with the consoles, sold at 600-1000 wouldnt they make soem moeny of that?

  9.8.2006 18:27 #11

• johnodd4

  big deal once microsoft locks the firmware no one will be able to run illegal copys of games
  
  also several new xbox 360s have anti firmware rewriting code in them so you will get half way through installing the hack and the firmware will stop working and kill your 360
  
  

  9.8.2006 18:32 #12

• ZippyDSM

  johnodd4
  thats what loaders and modchips are for :3

  9.8.2006 18:42 #13

• ZippyDSM

  besides as badly as the 360 needs constat pathing.....the frimware wont be locked anytime soon.

  9.8.2006 18:52 #14

• andersg

  I gotta feeling that soon people with the hack are gunna either be banned or not be able to access the full features of Live. MS wont just sit back and watch this happen, they will definitly try to do something at least.

  9.8.2006 19:33 #15

• ZippyDSM

  andersg
  thats why you need 2 one mod and one offline.
  

  9.8.2006 19:44 #16

• sukhvail

  lol... i wish that was feasible. i dont even have one yet.
  

  
  
  Sig courtesy of alienator

  9.8.2006 19:45 #17

• andersg

  I gotta admit, Sometimes I wish I knew enough to get me the hack but if it screws it up in the future it could be for the better that I can't

  9.8.2006 19:47 #18

• spiesfan

  who cares they will hack it again anyway

  10.8.2006 11:07 #19

• damo_red

  i cant imagine it will be long untill a mod chip is released instead of firmware updates etc.
  
  with the experience and desire in the xbox hacking camp i cant imagine there just being firmware hacks in a years time.
  
  the things you could do with your xbox like linus, mediacentres and emulators was outstanding.
  
  and because you cant play home brew cames with the firmware updates, as of my knowledge. i think there will be a modchip soon.

  10.8.2006 11:24 #20

• glitchzoo

  i think microsoft are making up b**ls**t. if they can get rid of it how come they havent yet??????
  and i read somewhere (probaly on this forum) that some company (who didnt wish to say their name) are designing a softmod for the xbox 360. but thats all i know if i were to say anythink else i would be liying :O
  apart from that if you install the softmod and a new xbox live update is relesed you will have to download a modified update off their servers ect.

  10.8.2006 15:14 #21

• ronnie101

  bring it on m$... They're all talk MUAHAH, just like the xbox 360 couldn't be hacked, 2 months after its released, its almost on its knees.
  
  
  M$ ain't got nothing on us :D

  11.8.2006 04:24 #22

• glitchzoo

  i agree,
  good work for anyone whos modded the 360 or found new ways around it

  11.8.2006 06:21 #23

• jamman

  "off tangent a bit" If only Microsft hadn't made such a complete fuck up off the whole Media Centre Experience on the 360, and made it exactly the same as the XBMC releases, then they would see more people buying the console for the "whole package".
  Get a grip with reality Bill, you make hardware, we hack it simple, make use of our knowledge and implement it next time and maybe you wont see so much piracy....something to think about.............?
  
  

  11.8.2006 08:33 #24

• andersg

  Quote:If only Microsft hadn't made such a complete fuck up off the whole Media Centre Experience on the 360, and made it exactly the same as the XBMC releasesWhats that supposed to mean? Is it that bad, I havent used it yet so I wouldn't know.

  11.8.2006 09:11 #25

• glitchzoo

  well microsoft cant program anymore, i mean that how many errors and bugs has windows and xbox got??? thousands...
  
  so microsoft make the hardware and hackers make it better. apparently if the xbox 360 was programmed right it would run about 2 times faster then it currently is.
  
  sure microsoft made or invented the first type of advanced programming. but now there to old and they should let someone else take over because im so sickk of windows crashing (even after 2 weeks of installation) and xbox freezing. :P

  11.8.2006 13:11 #26

• ZippyDSM

  glitchzoo
  hell look at Vampire bloodlines TM,Dues ex 2 and dozens other games the moders are drivieng themself crazy trying to fix becuse the devs or the publishers simpely refused to.
  its not jsut MS pulling this shit...
  

  11.8.2006 13:42 #27

• jamman

  Quote:If only Microsft hadn't made such a complete fuck up off the whole Media Centre Experience on the 360, and made it exactly the same as the XBMC releases
  
  "Whats that supposed to mean? Is it that bad, I havent used it yet so I wouldn't know."
  
  To get it to "stream" video, you need to have a Media Centre PC, and some 3rd party software, even then its no where near the benchmark of XBMC, so in answer to your question, yes it is that bad....

  11.8.2006 23:58 #28

• glitchzoo

  yeah thats another bad thing about the xbox 360 is you HAVE to have a media centre pc not a standard one with windows xp whitch is capable of streaming movies est.
  the xbox 360 is crap for dvds because it is region locked when you can go down to any local supermarket or technolagy shop and buy one that plays all dvds for about 30 pounds.
  one more bad thing is it dosent play xbox games but they have a good reason for that so ill let them off ;)

  12.8.2006 03:15 #29

• kevinv

  one thing i still dont get from ms. you go out and buy/pay for an xbox. you then own it, but they have the right to tell you what you can and cant do with it. how can they do that?? if you want to mod it, smash it, bash it you should be able to. games thet are copyrighted is a diffent story, but you are allow to make a backup. will it play if needed?? no because it is not the original. so why are we allowed backups then??
  
  just my 2 cents.

  12.8.2006 05:14 #30

• imxron

  Either way people will eventually get away with it

  12.8.2006 10:24 #31

• glitchzoo

  kevinv,
  you make a really good point its our property what gives microsoft the right to tell us how o use it.
  
  microsoft can get their copyright licence and sh0ve it up sonys... ill let you figgure the rest out

  12.8.2006 11:40 #32

• jamman

  Unfortunately the firmware hack is for one purpose only...hence Microsoft are trying to "fix" it...homebrew on the other hand is a different matter

  12.8.2006 12:32 #33

• andersg

  Yeah, I agree with Jamman
  
  When you do the firmware hack it is pretty much saying that you are going ot be pr will be pirating games in the future. So they have a right to fix it so they aren't being jipped of their money.

  12.8.2006 12:55 #34

• glitchzoo

  yeah but we own the console not ms we have borght it off them so it is rightfully ours so what gives thenm the right to edit our property?

  12.8.2006 12:57 #35

• andersg

  Not trying to argue or anything but;
  
  They have the right to not want their games burnt and pirated.

  12.8.2006 12:59 #36

• Ballpyhon

  Personally i do not own an Xbox, as for MS they dont program, they create a basic structure and fill in the gaps with workarounds, causing unnecessary bugs and vulnerabilities (and yes, i am a PC user that runs Win XP NOT by choice).
  
  Look at Linux and apple's OS, they have their decks in order and stacked neatly compared to MS house of cards that crashes down anytime you breathe hard, then you have to rebuild it using additional supports and glue (for the lack of a better metaphor).

  12.8.2006 14:40 #37

• ZippyDSM

  Ballpyhon
  I use XP SP1 by choice,it realy is the best thing going,becuse it runs the most crap,Untill apple or lunix can run DX,9X and XP apps I dont seem me useing them,on the other hand I wont touch vista untill the "comuntiy" fixs it bascily when the frist SP coems out and MS desides not to fully support the normal vista then mabye then I will get it becuse MS wont be cosntaly trying to controll what I do with it,hell SP2 has so mabye driver and app issues it drives me insane then it still has that fcked up Bandwidth cap that takes 10-40% of your total bandwidth....

  12.8.2006 15:09 #38

• Ballpyhon

  ZippyDSM both Apple and Linux run MS applications. obviously you have to install the proper software to get it to work(at least on Linux).
  
  As far as both Apple and Linux go, i don't know much at all about either OS, other than Apples cannot get viruses and is much more stable, and Linux takes about 1/4 of the resources to run the OS than most windows applications take, and from what i have seen it is a lot more stable as well.
  
  To the best of my knowledge windows based software are built on VB where apple and Linux are built on Unix platforms, which clearly leads the path to stability. Unfortunately both OS's are not as widely used in homes and are not nearly as "user friendly", there for I don't use them due to the lack of knowledge about them.

  12.8.2006 15:33 #39

• ZippyDSM

  Ballpyhon
  ya they run soem apps,games run NOT...without DX at least 1/3 if not 1/2 of the reason I use a computer goes bubye.

  12.8.2006 15:40 #40

• johnodd4

  but consider this microsoft has fixed this issue in all new xboxs with a special lockout function if you are trying to install a hscked version of there firmware it will block the firmware update half way through

  13.8.2006 01:21 #41

• ZippyDSM

  johnodd4
  give it a year or 2 and acouple hardware revisions and MS will give up and focus on "protecting" the newer shit like they do with XP *L*

  13.8.2006 01:24 #42

• davidrose

  MS "We will not place too much attention on it," MS
  
  The firmware hack is not as detectable as it may seem it is not a bios hack so good luck MS and there is no "special lockout function" on the drives just more complicated not too hard it'll get hacked sone with a chip REAL SOON give it to the Man they give it back we give it back it never ends LOL

  13.8.2006 02:27 #43

• kevinv

  well i have a question. if they dont want pirate games to be used, shoud they not address the problem at the root? games are pritaed why? main reason i see is the cost is to high on new games. if the look at a way to bring that down, it will help the problem. just like the smugglers of anything. they smuggle what cost a lot, and they can sell at a markup, below stores cost.
  
  just my 2 cents

  19.8.2006 17:13 #44

• ZippyDSM

  kevinv
  heres the thing if poeple didnt pirate they would raise the price with soem lame ass exuse so the pirateing wtch only dose under 5% real damage to them is soemthign they can use at a reason why most gamers are willing to shell out.
  
  I am a cheap gamer I am also a cheat gamer most games are so fcked up or so fustrateing to not have a cheat deive on hand is just being machoaist.
  I still need a proper mod chip for my PS2 ><

  19.8.2006 18:48 #45

• ofolion

  I don't know much about this but most likey their will be some sort of workaround or solution to whatever they do sooner or later...It might stop playing backups online but will not stop it all together no matter what...

  24.8.2006 02:45 #46

• bsrealm

  About Microsoft, Linux and Apple:
  
  1. Its easy to say Windows is less secure, etc. Its just that its soo widespread and so many people use it in almost a million, billion different configurations. There is no way in the world you can test against that. Atleast, they do their best to fix them.
  
  2. Linux, MacOS, have less users, even less who know the ins and outs of the OS. The problem is any Linux user will not admit it has TONS of bugs. Because they are fantics, most of them. I admit I was too. But after going deep into the OS, I realized then how many problems, design issues even the famed Linux has. It's just that most people on Linux are computer-geeks and they just set to fix it or whatever. Windows users on the other hand, are, need I say from 6-60!
  
  3. Microsoft makes TONS of profit. Ok. So what? If not for BillG and IBM and their systems, where would the world be now? Atleast an offset of so many years? It's not an excuse to build buggy software or faulty hardware, its just that its bound to happen! Ask ANY programmer. People will say you design good, etc, etc. The situation sure is improving. There is a LOT less number of bugs in Vista. Praise .NET! It's all getting soo much better for us.
  
  4. It's good to keep getting competetion from Linux, Google, etc. It brings out the best from the tough. And, we all know, M$ is a tough nut to crack! Nothing, my dear friends, beats Experience. They've been at it for 25 years? Beat that. 25 years of crap or whatever you might say, its no joke.
  
  5. It's not like I hate open source or im only pro-Microsoft. I upgraded my PC so that I can try out all Linux distros. I was going to become the next Linux freak. I lauded PHP like no-one before. But, it all changed. Just like Linux drew me in, Microsoft lured me in when I really understood the situation. When I really knew what was happening. There's more to it than meets the eye.
  
  
  Cheers
  
  
  [PS] Just my thoughts!
  [PS] X-Box 360 is great. Look at the bright side of it!

  4.9.2006 09:55 #47

• ZippyDSM

  bsrealm
  Nice post.
  
  Meh 360 is ok for a current gen system :P
  

  4.9.2006 10:19 #48

• glitchzoo

  wait bsrealm,
  what does your post have to do with xbox 360 ?
  you speaking more about operating systems like windows (most hated) but i agree with what your saying there :)
  
  anyway if microsoft were bringing out an update to stop the firmware hacks (about a month ago) where the hell are they ?
  microsoft do make up crap and fake updates for somthink they probaly cant fix. :o

  4.9.2006 15:52 #49

• davidrose

  Good post bsrealm it doesn't seem as though these firmwares can be altered from updates I see on hacker forums that maybe detection but not alteration if you see anything fill us in I still think it is a real problem and growing faster I see in Japan US xbox 360 titles going for aroung 8.00US dollars and that will hurt the QUALITY of future game budgets to a degree look at Hollywood and Music Industry they are always complaining financial disaster with piracy. Devolopers need to make some money on there games and the debate goes on. Sometimes I am in the grey area on these thoughts.

  4.9.2006 18:05 #50

• bsrealm

  First, thanks guys! I guess Microsoft deserves our support.
  
  http://forum.rpc1.org/portal.php
  http://www.disc-info.com/content/view/12/28/
  
  Anyway, these are a couple of sites that would tell you more about firmwares, etc. As far a I know, you can update the drives' firmware and patch things up as needed. They're probably working on it, or, they are purposely letting it drag on too. Who knows, these days business isn't just being predictable!
  
  "NOTE:
  Bad flashing could stop your device working. Carefully read the installation notes of your firmware before you upgrade."
  
  Hehe, this is from that site.. So, if these guys do some hacks and it kinda interferes with the rest of the system or something, poof! There goes the money! So, you're be careful even if you get your hands on such consoles ;)
  
  
  Cheers

  5.9.2006 11:02 #51

• ZippyDSM

  bsrealm
  no thanks MS just brought out their pricing scheme for Vista,its no different than their old scheme MS needs to be heckled every chance it gets unless it makes something unbuggy that does'nt have nooses attached to it.

  5.9.2006 11:21 #52

• bsrealm

  Yes, I'm actually for it. So long as it's within the limits! As I said earlier, its great for the consumers if we provoke M$. But, we must not forget who they are and must maintain that level of respect when we comment (too aggressively ;))
  
  
  Cheers

  7.9.2006 17:27 #53

• 3085

  Quote:Get a grip with reality Bill, you make hardware, we hack it simple haha lmao
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  7.9.2006 20:03 #54

• glitchzoo

  if microsoft were going to make an update wouldnt it be out b now? the announced it about 2 months ago yet there is still no update. i think microsoft is bu**sh**ng and tryign to get everyone to think 'omg there going to relese an update i better no do the firmware hack'
  and i dont think its even possibal to update the firmware on the xbox 360, e.g for us we have to take the drive to pieces to do the firmware update so whos saying microsoft would have to do the same.
  
  although if ms cant find a way to fix this problem we mat cause xbox to go out of business. remember dreamcast that went bust overnight because it was so easy to play pirate games on it with the help of a certain cd. we dont want to put xbox out of business do we?
  

  
  
  

  10.9.2006 01:12 #55

• DSoldier

  ppl just need to stop hacking and modding because one day... BAM! live companies r just ganna shut evrything down because gameplay can't be fair and they will learn it can nvr be fair. Think about it :/ u kno wut live companies can do if they shut down xbox live imagine all that money they can make with it... it would be a new erra!!

  8.12.2006 07:12 #56

• ZippyDSM

  DSoldier
  Modign will never end sadly neither will onmods(online mods/cheats),I love single player cheating thru cheat devices so you can try and re balance a crappy game but online you really need a private sever to do that kinda thing in...so you can re balance for all not jsut for yourself...
  
  Sadly theres only one way to fully deal with this and it might make them lose more money you need a machine ID in order to pay for your live account once you get baned its permeant that machine is dead and gone,for 70% of legit users this will not cause trouble but counter measures by hacker groups could have the whole system baned...they can only do it one account at a time....

  8.12.2006 12:04 #57