Xbox 360 File System Decoded

slurpster writes "The register reports that Pi group has decoded the file system used in the Xbox 360. They write "Once you get past the protections and down to the raw bits on the disc, its just the standard xboxdvdfs, however the offset and layer breakpoint are different.""

Re:how?

[tpgp]

I've always wondered how you actually go about understanding a file system with absolutely no documentation.

From Wikipedias Reverse Engineering Page [wikipedia.org]

Reverse engineering of software can be accomplished by various methods. The three main groups of software reverse engineering are:

      1. Analysis through observation of information exchange, most prevalent in protocol reverse engineering, which involve using bus analyzers and packet sniffers for example for listening into a computer bus or computer network connection, revealing the traffic data underneath. Behaviour on the bus or network can then be analyzed for producing a stand-alone implementation that mimics the same behaviour. This is especially good for reverse engineering of device drivers.
      2. Disassembly using a disassembler, meaning the raw machine language of the program is read and understood in its own terms, only with the aid of machine language mnemonics. This works on any computer program but can take quite some time, especially for someone not used to machine code.
      3. Decompilation using a decompiler, a process that tries, with varying result, to recreate the source code in some high level language for a program only available in machine code.

I suspect that methods 1 and 2 would have been most useful for the original xbox dvd filesystem.

If your filesystem is writable, you can try:

      1. Look at the volume with a hex editor
      2. Perform some operation, e.g. create a file
      3. Use the hex editor to look for changes
      4. Classify and document the changes
      5. Repeat steps 1-4 forever

(from The linux ntfs faq [sourceforge.net]

The Real Deal

[Anonymous Coward]

Firstly, the Register article (and /. summary) is useless. They're just high-level summaries. The details (the meat, if you like) are here: http://www.xbox-scene.com/xbox1data/sep/EEFuplVllV IYuZHGfq.php [xbox-scene.com]

Now, for the problem. Team Pi have released an open-source extractor FOR THEIR ALREADY-DECODED IMAGES. They have NOT released an open-source decoder for turning DVDs into images.

Why is that? I believe they probably haven't fully reverse-engineered the encryption yet. They've just cracked the raw disk driver or some other part of the XBOX360 operating system, so that it performs the decryption for them (MS's code) and saves the result to hard disk.

Needless, it won't be long before there's a public utility to run on a hacked 360 or devkit that does the same thing, then eventually someone will do the hard part - fully reverse-engineering the encryption.

Re:Owww arr Bill Gates...

[Anonymous Coward]

loose, adj. Not fastened, restrained, or contained.

lose, v. tr. To be unsuccessful in retaining possession of; mislay.

Know the difference!

Re:XBox "Live" Watchdog???

[SteveXE]

You can...

a) Shut off the automatic connection to Xbox Live
b) Block a connection to XBL from your router
c) Unplug the ethernet cord

Not too hard

Re:huh?

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't think it will be that easy, Microsoft has learned from their previous XB1 security blunder - and this time they do not even trust data running on the internal hardware bus.

Executable data is hashed and signed using asymmetrical keys built into the different hardware components (gpu, cpu etc). As each console has different keys "burned in", compromising one machine will mean nothing for the others!

Even if you use your electron microscope to compromise the keys of all your hardware components, using normal "man in the middle" code-injection (as mod-chips usually do) will be hard.

So there you have it ... Unless they have screwed up completely by leaving keys readable - this might actually be the first non-hackable console.

That doesn't prevent piracy of course, Chinese Entrepreneurs will line up to duplicate optical copies in about 3 seconds :)

Re:I hope not.

[6*7]

I guess some place like Singapore that recently introduced the death penalty for copyright infringement.