The Nintendo 3DS is self-aware, knows when you're a pirate

Eurogamer posted an interesting article today, pointing to the Enterking shop when claiming that the Nintendo 3DS may be able to tell when gamers are using a flash cart.

A flash cart gives gamers the ability to play DS and DSi games from a microSD card, or add homebrew apps.

When you connect to the Internet, Nintendo can then see what systems have been playing pirated games and remotely disable them via firmware update.

The Enterking site posted this warning:

Dear customers who resell Nintendo 3DS:

Non-purchase able 3DS system: if you use equipment which is illegal or unapproved by Nintendo or if you do customisation which is unapproved by Nintendo, there is a possibility that Nintendo 3DS becomes non-bootable by system update.

Because of terms of agreement above, Enterking refuses to buy 3DS system with a record of illegal or unapproved equipment.

To protect from leaking your personal and internet connection information we ask customer to format system.

Nintendo responded to the article with the following:

We do not discuss product security details (for obvious reasons), nor can we discuss the details of countermeasures available in the Nintendo 3DS system.

Nintendo 3DS has the most up-to-date technology. The security has been designed to protect both the creative works in the software and to protect the Nintendo 3DS hardware system itself.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 10 Mar 2011 12:17

ZippyDSM

So its gathering consumer data for Nintendo to sell? Oh boy no wonder its so cheap!

Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
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10.3.2011 13:15 #1

Ryoohki

Not everyone who uses a flashcart is pirating games though. I'd be pissed if my 3DS (that i don't really intend on buying anyway) got bricked simply because I had a flashcart inserted. I only use my ds to listen to music or read ebooks when I'm away from home. I'm not much of a gamer and never have been although I have purchased a few used games from gamestop :)

I would think they would have a lawsuit on their hands if they rendered someone's legally purchased equipment unusable on such specious grounds. Once you have the ds in your hands you should be able to do whatever you want with it and not fear it becoming a brick. Not to mention the obvious breach of privacy issues this sort of thing would bring up.

10.3.2011 14:25 #2

baxter00

I would think they would have a lawsuit on their hands if they rendered someone's legally purchased equipment unusable on such specious grounds. Once you have the ds in your hands you should be able to do whatever you want with it and not fear it becoming a brick. Not to mention the obvious breach of privacy issues this sort of thing would bring up.
Sounds like they've been talking to Sony...

10.3.2011 14:42 #3

KSib

Not to be completely naive, but I hope this doesn't affect those (how many ever there are) who buy flash carts just so they don't have to swap out cartridges and can leave the original games safe somewhere.

10.3.2011 15:06 #4

DXR88

This isn't new, RSA Encryption is known to identify such things and usually report them back to the host. (almost like the 360's flag system that makes a log when somethings amiss.)

the DS now uses flash memory and this data is probably stored in logs now, somewhere in the flash.

i doubt its going to brick the device, it will probably just disable the WLAN using software methods. (they could use the hardware method but the CPU would have to be known to contain kill switches)

10.3.2011 17:57 #5

Pop_Smith

Originally posted by KSib: Not to be completely naive, but I hope this doesn't affect those (how many ever there are) who buy flash carts just so they don't have to swap out cartridges and can leave the original games safe somewhere. That's exactly what I do. I've got a decent selection of DS games and it's really nice to just pack the flash cart and a charger if I take it with me.

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10.3.2011 23:54 #6

dadeo1111

From Nintendo's response:
Quote:"...Nintendo 3DS has the most up-to-date technology. The security has been designed to protect both the creative works in the software and to protect the Nintendo 3DS hardware system itself." User/customer seems to be left out of their security loop focus, as usual.

11.3.2011 07:52 #7

LeeC22

I have a DS, a DSiXL and a Wii. None of them have got internet access, due to Nintendo's blackmail driven, data collection policy. I.e. "give us your data and unquestioned access to your console, or we'll cripple your console experience".

It seems like the 3DS is going to adopt the same policy, so my decision to get one has been made for me... thanks Nintendo, you've saved me some money.

11.3.2011 09:08 #8

dadeo1111

So if you are not a pirate but somehow trigger their "most up to date" security technology with some 3rd party accessory or other innocent action, you are treated like a pirate and kicked off the network. That sounds about right. I'll take a pass too. I have 3 gamer sons that love to explore and I'd hate to let this toy spoil their day.

11.3.2011 09:17 #9

Gdot73

edited by ddp nintendo or playstation or whatever else, if we buy a console we should be able to do whatever the hell we want with it, fash carts, roms, movies on there, anything n everything thats beneficial to us customers who bought their product we should be able to take full advantage of, if they dont want flash carts dont dare ban us, make your system more secure in the 1st place & go after the flash cart companies that are making our gaming better if you dont want carts around. i wouldnt buy most of nintendos games anyway.

11.3.2011 09:59 #10

Rolling_S

Originally posted by Gdot73: fcuk nintendo or playstation or whatever else, if we buy a console we should be able to do whatever the hell we want with it, fash carts, roms, movies on there, anything n everything thats beneficial to us customers who bought their product we should be able to take full advantage of, if they dont want flash carts dont dare ban us, make your system more secure in the 1st place & go after the flash cart companies that are making our gaming better if you dont want carts around. i wouldnt buy most of nintendos games anyway.
Right on!

11.3.2011 15:57 #11

hastypete

If you don't like it, don't buy one.
It is Nintendo's right to protect their intellectual property. Which is something you DO NOT own when you buy a product.

11.3.2011 17:32 #12

DXR88

Originally posted by hastypete: If you don't like it, don't buy one.
It is Nintendo's right to protect their intellectual property. Which is something you DO NOT own when you buy a product.

protect it from what? flash carts don't impede on there IP, and it may or may not impede on a game publishers IP.

when flash carts are sold there sold with a built in custom OS thats it, there is no pictures games movies or music.

if anything Nintendo is trampling on the people who make the Custom OS's. why are they not protected under law?

11.3.2011 18:04 #13

ZippyDSM

Originally posted by hastypete: If you don't like it, don't buy one.
It is Nintendo's right to protect their intellectual property. Which is something you DO NOT own when you buy a product.

Ya.... no..... the only right IP owners have is the right to exclusively make anything monetary wise off their IP. In this day and age their right to distribution goes head to head with the public's right to information and their consumer rights.

11.3.2011 18:34 #14

Menion

Nintendo Didn't Say anything about Bricking anyones device, The Enterking site Is the one who posted those claims, and it was a "Might" has anyone experienced this issue yet? Chances are Ryoohki would be correct and Nintendo isn't stupid, They arent going to position themselves for allot of ridiculous attorney fees.

I think it's just a scare, Ill belive it when I actually see it, I think its more of if they figure it out through internet they may ban you from some perk they have included or send an auto patch to correct the exploit. Somewhat like all the wii patches but instead of you having to manually do the update they will be generous enough to make "Sure" you get it

11.3.2011 23:59 #15

buffylass

i had a flash cart in my dsi was on the internet had put some of my games copying on to it and low + behold it knacked the flashcart, when i realised i was on the internet i switch internet off before i insert my flashcart now, the same thing happened too my friend i think we was just unlucky at the time but it was weird how it happened too 2 differant flashcarts within minutes of each other,in 2 differant places, i just formatted then got a new cart and make sure that im not on internet wen using it,

12.3.2011 06:36 #16

xaznboitx

Originally posted by buffylass: i had a flash cart in my dsi was on the internet had put some of my games copying on to it and low + behold it knacked the flashcart, when i realised i was on the internet i switch internet off before i insert my flashcart now, the same thing happened too my friend i think we was just unlucky at the time but it was weird how it happened too 2 differant flashcarts within minutes of each other,in 2 differant places, i just formatted then got a new cart and make sure that im not on internet wen using it, New cart?

Different flash card or same ver? because makes no sense if you bought same ver of the flash card...

Also, I didn't know that reformatting gets rid of updates

12.3.2011 17:42 #17

DXR88

Originally posted by xaznboitx:
Originally posted by buffylass: i had a flash cart in my dsi was on the internet had put some of my games copying on to it and low + behold it knacked the flashcart, when i realised i was on the internet i switch internet off before i insert my flashcart now, the same thing happened too my friend i think we was just unlucky at the time but it was weird how it happened too 2 differant flashcarts within minutes of each other,in 2 differant places, i just formatted then got a new cart and make sure that im not on internet wen using it, New cart?

Different flash card or same ver? because makes no sense if you bought same ver of the flash card...

Also, I didn't know that reformatting gets rid of updates
updates would be stored in the systems NAND memory. However its not impossible that the DSi Writes a Crippling Dummy File to the Card(or modifies Moonshell).

i wouldn't know for certain though im still using the old phat DS

12.3.2011 18:31 #18

buffylass

havent a clue wot happened one minute cards were fine then umph they both gone at diffent comps my friend phoned within 5 mins of mine giong to say hers had gone as well.both the memory cards were fine played on other flashcards, both had been working fine for 4months still im 61yr old lady so i not clued up on these new fangled things, just happy to play my games keep my mind ticking over lol, but know how too do the cards thank goodness lol,bought new flashcards from differant place awell now just incase,

13.3.2011 06:24 #19

Brian0423

who gives nintendo the right to disable your 3ds if they even find you pirating. They don't have any right to break your shit when you clearly bought it. they should refund the money.

15.3.2011 17:49 #20

buffylass

It seems they can do what they want when they want , so now when im playin games on my cart--- i make sure im not on the internet better safe than sorry.

15.3.2011 18:57 #21

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