Hacking the Xbox: An Introduction to Reverse Engineering
This hands-on guide to hacking begins with step-by-step tutorials on hardware modifications that teach basic hacking techniques as well as essential reverse engineering skills. The book progresses into a discussion of the Xbox security mechanisms and other advanced hacking topics, with an emphasis on educating the readers on the important subjects of computer security and reverse engineering. Hacking the Xbox includes numerous practical guides, such as where to get hacking gear, soldering...
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This hands-on guide to hacking Microsoft's powerful video games console starts with step-by-step tutorials on hardware modification that teach basic hacking techniques as well as essential reverse engineering skills. Reverse engineering, the not so gentle art of figuring out how something works by taking it apart, has been practiced by hardware oriented geeks and tinkerers for as long as anyone can remember. It s the way Wozniak learned to build the first Apple, and it s the way many of today s young engineers are learning about hardware engineering. While many engineers believe that reverse engineering is a protected right, The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) makes unauthorized access to intellectual property illegal, including certain types of reverse engineering. This controversial book, Hacking the Xbox : An Introduction to Reverse Engineering by Andrew bunnie Huang, tackles the thorny issue of reverse engineering head on by showing readers how to hack their Xbox . Originally self-published, Hacking the Xbox has already become a cult classic, selling thousands of copies through the author s website in just a couple of months. Now with the full support of No Starch Press (the only publisher willing to take the risk), Hacking the Xbox is getting the distribution and exposure it needs to make it a major bestseller. No Starch Press distinguished itself as the only publisher with the courage to accept the book without any suggestion of censorship or caveats, says Huang. Even with the possibility of litigation under the DMCA, No Starch Press publisher Bill Pollock explains why his company is publishing this controversial book: This is about freedom of speech and our First Amendment rights. It s also about the way people learn. It s the way I ve been learning about hardware since I was 10 years old, when I took apart my first telephone. With an estimated 8 million units sold, Microsoft s Xbox video game system is the second most popular gaming console on the market today. The Xbox is, at its core, nothing more than an inexpensive PC with extra pieces tacked on to prevent you from using it as such. With a bit of know how, the help of Hacking the Xbox , and some elbow grease, the Xbox can be turned into a working PC, media player, or web server. Using the Xbox as a teaching tool, Huang introduces novice hackers to basic hacking techniques such as reverse engineering and debugging. Hacking the Xbox also covers Xbox security mechanisms and other advanced hacking topics of interest to more seasoned hackers. A chapter written by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) rounds out the book with a discussion of the rights and responsibilities of hackers. The book also includes numerous practical guides, such as where to get hacking gear, how to use soldering techniques, debugging tips, and an Xbox hardware reference guide, which make Hacking the Xbox truly a handbook for a new generation of hackers. So pick up a screwdriver and start hacking! ABOUT THE AUTHORAndrew bunnie Huang has an extensive background in electronics systems engineering and received a PhD in Electrical Engineering from MIT. His experience includes work in digital design, reverse engineering, embedded systems design and programming, board fabrication and assembly, java/C/assembly programming, analog design, computer architecture, high speed interconnect and signal integrity, applied cryptography and systems security, and systems engineering.
Prologue : README.1ST1Ch. 1Voiding the Warranty15Ch. 2Thinking Inside the Box31Ch. 3Installing a Blue LED53Ch. 4Building a USB Adapter67Ch. 5Replacing a Broken Power Supply73Ch. 6The Best Xbox Game: Security Hacking89Ch. 7A Brief Primer on Security101Ch. 8Reverse Engineering Xbox Security119Ch. 9Sneaking in the Back Door137Ch. 10More Hardware Projects151Ch. 11Developing Software for the Xbox161Ch. 12Caveat Hacker173Ch. 13Onward!193App. AWhere to Get Your Hacking Gear207App. BSoldering Techniques211App. CGetting into PCB Layout223App. DGetting Started with FPGAs237App. EDebugging: Hints and Tips247App. FXbox Hardware Reference257Index267
\ From Barnes & NobleThe Barnes & Noble Review\ Many legendary engineers got their start with a soldering iron, taking apart and assembling radios, phones, and computers. In those halcyon days, many devices even came with schematics! Nowadays, neither the manufacturers nor the law are quite so friendly. But one current device is especially splendid for hardware hacking: Microsoft’s Xbox. \ Almost a PC, this sub-$200 device can be made to do anything from running Linux to serving as a complete media center. And the reverse-engineering skills you learn with it are incredibly useful in all manner of (licit) pursuits. That’s where Hacking the Xbox comes in.\ Andrew “Bunny” Huang introduces the ideas and techniques you need to decipher just about any device and walks through several common Xbox mods, taking all the intimidation out of hardware hacking. (Well, almost all. You do want to read the guest chapter full of legal advice on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.)\ You’ll start by learning how to “read” a circuit board (Huang answers some of those questions you’ve always wondered about, e.g., why do some circuit board traces seem to meander aimlessly?) Then, you’ll get to work, starting simple (replacing the LED with a cool blue one), and working your way up to the big Kahuna: Xbox security.\ Huang’s incredibly useful appendices tell you where to get your gear (some electronics distributors are friendlier than others) and offer practical introductions to soldering, PCB layout, FPGAs, and hardware debugging.\ One major publisher backed away from this book for fear of the legal issues. Seems a shame. Whether you plan to void your Xbox warranty or not, this stuff’s just plain fascinating. Bill Camarda\ Bill Camarda is a consultant, writer, and web/multimedia content developer. His 15 books include Special Edition Using Word 2000 and Upgrading & Fixing Networks for Dummies, Second Edition.\ \ \ \ \ \ Reverse engineering, the not so gentle art of figuring out \ how something works by taking it apart, has been practiced by hardware oriented \ geeks and tinkerers for as long as anyone can remember. It’s the way Wozniak \ learned to build the first Apple, and it’s the way many of today’s young \ engineers are learning about hardware engineering.\ While many engineers believe that reverse engineering is a \ protected right, The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) makes unauthorized \ access to intellectual property illegal, including certain types of reverse \ engineering. This controversial book, “Hacking the Xbox”: An Introduction to \ Reverse Engineering” by Andrew “bunnie” Huang, tackles the thorny issue of \ reverse engineering head on by showing readers how to hack their Xbox ™. \ Originally self-published, “Hacking the Xbox” has already become a cult classic, \ selling thousands of copies through the author’s website in just a couple of \ months. Now with the full support of No Starch Press (the only publisher willing \ to take the risk), “Hacking the Xbox” is getting the distribution and exposure \ it needs to make it a major bestseller.\ “No Starch Press distinguished itself as the only publisher \ with the courage to accept the book without any suggestion of censorship or \ caveats,” says Huang. Even with the possibility of litigation under the DMCA, No \ Starch Press publisher Bill Pollock explains why his company is publishing this \ controversial book: “This is about freedom of speech and our First Amendment \ rights. It’s also about the way people learn. It’s the way I’ve been learning \ about hardware since I was 10 years old, when I took apart my first \ telephone.”\ With an estimated 8 million units sold, Microsoft’s Xbox \ video game system is the second most popular gaming console on the market today. \ The Xbox is, at its core, nothing more than an inexpensive PC with extra pieces \ tacked on to prevent you from using it as such. With a bit of know how, the help \ of “Hacking the Xbox”, and some elbow grease, the Xbox can be turned into a \ working PC, media player, or web server.\ Using the Xbox as a teaching tool, Huang introduces novice \ hackers to basic hacking techniques such as reverse engineering and debugging. \ “Hacking the Xbox” also covers Xbox security mechanisms and other advanced \ hacking topics of interest to more seasoned hackers. A chapter written by the \ Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) rounds out the book with a discussion of \ the rights and responsibilities of hackers. The book also includes numerous \ practical guides, such as where to get hacking gear, how to use soldering \ techniques, debugging tips, and an Xbox hardware reference guide, which make \ “Hacking the Xbox” truly a handbook for a new generation of hackers. So pick up \ a screwdriver and start hacking!\ ABOUT THE AUTHORAndrew \ “bunnie” Huang has an extensive background in electronics systems engineering \ and received a PhD in Electrical Engineering from MIT. His experience includes \ work in digital design, reverse engineering, embedded systems design and \ programming, board fabrication and assembly, java/C/assembly programming, analog \ design, computer architecture, high speed interconnect and signal integrity, \ applied cryptography and systems security, and systems \ engineering.\
