Nintendo’s Latest Switch 2 Firmware Just Got Jailbroken

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been around for just over a year now, and there's been a bit of a shake-up in its security recently. Security researcher Sammy Hajhamid, also known online as pepsipu, has come up with a software-only jailbreak for the Switch 2 that works even on its latest firmware. This is quite a big deal because it lets users mod their games and install homebrew software directly through an in-software hack.

Hajhamid mentions that he used OpenAI Codex to help develop the exploit, which he's calling ns2jb. There are a few limitations, but it certainly opens up some exciting possibilities like running unofficial software and modifying games. To show what can be done, he even modded Mario Kart World to include some unlikely characters like Sanrio's Cinnamoroll and Vocaloid's Hatsune Miku. Naturally, this has sparked quite a buzz on Reddit, especially among folks discussing Switch 2 hacks on the dedicated subreddit.

Interestingly, SmileBASIC has been exploited before on Nintendo devices. The previous hack, known as "smilehax," allowed user-level code execution on the 3DS. Since SmileBASIC itself is pretty large — a big C++ codebase — if one memory bug was found in its interpreter, others might exist too. Codex discovered a handy 32-bit integer overflow in SmileBASIC, which then became the foundation for this new jailbreak.

This hack uses an older version of SmileBASIC (version 4), which is a programming environment that runs on Nintendo hardware. It's also "tethered," meaning you'll need a macOS or Linux computer on the same network to run a Node.js package that helps gain advanced system access.

Nintendo has already responded by removing SmileBASIC 4 from the Switch eShop worldwide, though a Japanese demo version that might work somewhat similarly was still available at the time we're talking about. They did something similar back in the day when smilehax was cracked on the 3DS. Removing the app may help slow down the spread of this hack, especially among Switch 2 owners who haven't downloaded it before.

While it's not as significant as the 2018 exploit that involved a complete hardware redesign to prevent future hacks, it's still pretty concerning that hackers have managed this just a year after the console's release. It's a sign that Nintendo's security still has room for improvement.

There are some important limitations to keep in mind. The jailbreak needs to be reapplied each time the console restarts and doesn't give full control or allow the installation of persistent custom firmware yet.

All in all, while this is a promising development for those interested in modding, we're still a fair way from turning a Switch 2 into a fully unlocked device with complete control.