Before its official launch, many were hyped by the release of Nintendo Switch. Gamers and fans alike anticipated the arrival of the next-gen joy-con, with a promise of tons of exciting games. Finally, it arrived and it did meet the expectations of users.
Unfortunately, there is a flaw within the very core system of Nintendo Switch that proved to be a window for hacking, as reported by ComicBook. It is even believed to open the doors for piracy, which, if not resolved immediately, would mean the death of the hardware. Here is everything about it in a nutshell.
Hackers finally got in
Hackers have been trying to crack the console since its official launch and it seems they have finally reached their goal. A known hacker by the name of Derrekr6 went to Twitter to boast about his discovery, saying that his group has finally acquired the “kernel.” The latter is considered an important element in a hardware’s system, which, when exploited can open to a lot of possibilities.
we got the kernel.@qlutoo @ylws8#NintendoSwitch #Haxx
— derrek (@derrekr6) July 9, 2017
In its most organic form, the kernel in Nintendo Switch works similarly with other consoles or hardware’s kernel. It serves as the very core of the joy-con’s operating system, and when breached, can provide full control to the user or, in this case, the hacker.
If the hacker really got inside the kernel, then this could present a megaton of problems for Nintendo. Experts even suggest that once this core is exploited, there is almost nothing that can be done to prevent the outcome.
Getting in is already a huge step
While it is true that getting access to the kernel of Nintendo Switch is troublesome, it would still require a good amount of time for hackers to produce a process for exploits and other hacks.
However, this is still considered a huge step, most especially if Nintendo does not do anything to resolve the issue. Interestingly, Derrekr6’s tweet might mean a thing or two. It could be that they just gained access to the hardware’s dumped kernel, rather than the notion of already taking hold of it. Still, anything is possible.
Obviously, Nintendo will do anything to prevent this from becoming a huge outrage, most especially with Nintendo Switch users possibly being affected by it. In fact, since the launch of the console, the company has been giving rewards to people who can acquire possible exploits within the system. These discoveries are then utilized to further improve system stability and, more importantly, user experience. But of course, this is a battle that the company cannot afford to lose.
