Two hardware-based exploits for the Nintendo Switch were published in the last 24 hours along with the console’s boot ROM being released to the public.
Users can exploit the bugs to run custom homebrew apps and games on the console.
As reported by Eurogamer, the exploits allows users to take advantage of a hardware flaw in Nvidia’s Tegra X1 (which powers the Switch) and gain access to the Switch’s operating system.
Nintendo can’t patch out the hardware flaw through a firmware update, and the only solution is to release a new version of the console.
The company will need to switch the Tegra X1 processor to patch out the bug that makes these exploits possible.
The exploits were revealed by hackers fail0verflow with the ShofEL2 release and the Fusée Gelée hack from Kate Temik, which are both fully documented here.
The hackers reportedly disclosed the nature of the exploits to Google, Nintendo and Nvidia. Fail0verflow was set to release its exploit on April 25, but published it once the boot ROM dump leaked.
While the exploits can be used to run Linux or mod the Switch into a powerful emulator, it’s likely that the hack will also allow for piracy and cheaters in online games.