Linux On Nintendo Switch? Hackers Show That It’s Possible

Every popular hardware in today’s times that tries to bind users to a particular software or operating system, becomes a target of hackers. They make continuous attempts to find ways to exploit the security measures. Along the similar lines, hacker group Fail0verflow has claimed to have found a Nintendo Switch hack.

The group has posted the picture of Switch booting a Debian GNU/Linux installation. The picture also shows a serial adapter connected to one Joy-Con docks. Notably, Fail0verflow is the same group that hacked Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3.

What makes this Nintendo Switch hack special is that it can’t be patched in the currently released consoles. This is because the exploit was found in the boot ROM process of Nvidia Tegra X1 chips that can’t be patched with software or firmware updates.

That’s not all. This hack to run Linux doesn’t even need a mod chip to run.

In case it wasn’t obvious, our Switch coldboot exploit:
* Is a bootrom bug
* Can’t be patched (in currently released Switches)
* Doesn’t require a modchip to pull offhttps://t.co/LLadlEmm44

— fail0verflow (@fail0verflow) January 16, 2018

At the moment, it can’t be said with much certainty that the exploit will ever see the daylight. Still, it looks like a solid start when it comes to opening up Switch for installing foreign applications. This can also create ways to save the game backups to cope up with failures. In the past, Nintendo has defended its decision of not including a backup option to defeat piracy and enhance security.

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