oct0xor Versus Cobra USB Dongle

Published on 12-18-2012 04:55 AM

72 Comments

Looks to me that developer oct0xor has managed to reverse engineer the Cobra USB dongle. In his blog he explains why the Cobra took some time to reverse engineer, why it was the last item on his hack list and the similarities between it and the True Blue dongle. He also makes a bold statement that Sony can learn something from the Cobra team regarding cryptography. He has created his own payload called OpenCobra but also mentions that he is not sure of releasing his work. With that said here is a extract highlighting some of the more interesting bits of his blog. Should you wish to read the full story, follow the source linked below.

About: oct0xor's blog:

Finally I got my hands on cobra

it was quite a lot of time since I touched this last time. There was s good things happened since then eg. I reverse engineered usercheat and true blue, had done allot PS3 and not PS3 related hacking. There was a bad things eg. BlueDiskCFW, lv0 leak, allot of devs leave the scene...

Cobra was for me really "the last" thing I have to do.
...

3 days and now its all over.

Security is good enough, but not without big security risks. But it still the best crypto/obfuscation what I had seen on PS3. Sony have something to learn from this guys, especially now.

Cobra / True Blue almost identical, have the same source code, if you ever hacked 1 thing, 2nd wouldn't be a problem.
...

On the fourth day I took a decision to make my own "OpenCobra" payload. only clean code without DRM and garbage, to be able to port it to any new firmware, and change/add features. It took 2 days, 3000 lines of ASM, and you had seen the result.

ATM it based on 4.1 payload, plans for future is check/add new features from 4.4/5.0. Port to a new firmware (if cobra will not do this for me), and realize all nice innovations from new version of PSP emu, such as better emu accuracy, 3D and etc...

News Source: oct0xor.blogspot via @oct0xor

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niccoooodu61, nsttnlzd, One2thr456svn and 5 others like this.

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_{Tags :

cobra hacked,

cobra reversed,

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72 Comments

evilOvum - 12-18-2012, 05:07 AM
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nice, how about someone work on bringing cfw to consoles on newer firmwares please that would be the day

Staylecrate - 12-18-2012, 05:24 AM
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Haha, no sooner did I post that I broke down and bought a cobra this happens, just my luck.
Very impressive oct0xor, I don't have near the same software skills but understand the dedication it takes to undertake the decryption much less porting this in 4 days. Amazing stuff. I understand the reservations about releasing what has been done up to now too. Either way it's a huge step.

One2thr456svn - 12-18-2012, 05:26 AM
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Ok, can we get oct0xor and DeanK to privately meet somewhere and have a cup of coffee (I'll buy) so DeanK can implant this into multiMan in an update...this is Great work (4 days...wow)

CHOPPA - 12-18-2012, 05:41 AM
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dos this mean psp ps2 emu iso

nadheeh - 12-18-2012, 06:41 AM
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wait a minute..does this mean its nw possible to play ps1,2 and psp games frm backups on CFW's ??? btw wats that dongle inserted in that ps3 ??

peleep - 12-18-2012, 06:49 AM
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why would you need Cobra if CFW 4.30 is available? Silly question?

nadheeh - 12-18-2012, 06:53 AM
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btw that really is crisis core playin on a ps3..damn i cnt wait to see this come true..cos i want that game so bad to be played on my ps3..hopefully soon i'll b able to

thewhitetyger - 12-18-2012, 07:52 AM
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DeanK will never allow the implimentation of this payload into multiMAN, he was hired BY Cobra team and so he would lose money if he allowed this to work with multiman. I have used MM since the begining of the 3.41 days but it looks like in order to use this payload (if ever) we might have to go to Rogero backup launcher for help on this. Nice work by the way, the final DRM bullcrap dongles have now all fallen.

Menace - 12-18-2012, 07:59 AM
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yeah hopefully this get's implemented in a new cfw or rogero bum.....looking foward to it.

bout time....hate these evil bastards that only wish to profit off the scene.

paul44 - 12-18-2012, 08:13 AM
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That's awesome oct0xor!

CS67700 - 12-18-2012, 08:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Menace

yeah hopefully this get's implemented in a new cfw or rogero bum.....looking foward to it.

bout time....hate these evil bastards that only wish to profit off the scene.

They already made a lot of cash with these stupid dongles.
Not to mention the TB team must be taking baths in champagne and driving in Lamborghini now.

This mentality is shameful, but it's business.
And unfortunately (for us) scenes are becoming a juicy business for business men.

I don't think the Cobra team gives a damn about this, they milked all they could out of the scene with their dongle already.

Windfall - 12-18-2012, 08:39 AM
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Originally Posted by peleep

why would you need Cobra if CFW 4.30 is available? Silly question?

Does Cobra actually run ps3 backups?... People like Cobra for It's features, such as PSP emu, that's something 4.30 CFW can't do.

deank - 12-18-2012, 09:16 AM
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Originally Posted by thewhitetyger

DeanK will never allow the implimentation of this payload into multiMAN, he was hired BY Cobra team and so he would lose money if he allowed this to work with multiman. I have used MM since the begining of the 3.41 days but it looks like in order to use this payload (if ever) we might have to go to Rogero backup launcher for help on this.

I love that people still love to speculate and put 'actions' in my routine (or words in my mouth). And well-done, octo!

indirect76 - 12-18-2012, 09:23 AM
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Originally Posted by deank

I love that people still love to speculate and put 'actions' in my routine (or words in my mouth). And well-done, octo!

HaHa, I love it.

ragnalamb - 12-18-2012, 09:36 AM
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Originally Posted by deank

I love that people still love to speculate and put 'actions' in my routine (or words in my mouth). And well-done, octo!

I´ve never been a dongle fan myself, but in one way or another they have lead to some scene improvements.

There are few devs still keeping this scene alive, deank is one of them with all his work on MM... Now octo is making things move ahead again on new possible adds to CFW....

Thanks both of you, and keep up the hardwork.

ebob - 12-18-2012, 09:46 AM
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Originally Posted by deank

I love that people still love to speculate and put 'actions' in my routine (or words in my mouth). And well-done, octo!

Well, I'm glad you're taking it fairly light-heartedly.

Exciting news!

brakk3n - 12-18-2012, 09:50 AM
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Everyone wants to hate on something; be it Cobra, DeanK or TB. I really never cared about the fact there were products that served a purpose and cost money and the fact that people who wanted their features purchased and used them. That is how it's always gone down and the situation regarding the creation of ANY modification product has and will always be surrounded by things some people do not like and that's tough shit. All of the complaining in the world was a waste of time; hundreds of thousands of posts for what? In the end you've got your cup of tea. Sure, free is great, but I have no problem spending money on something that would of allowed me to play games that CFW couldn't or added features such as PS1/PS2/PSP game playback; that's if I wanted such things and for me to tell others what to do with their money in a modification scene is hypocritical to say the least - should we all now say that anyone should of spent not a cent on the original Jailbreaking (advertising farse, Jailbreaks never fully rooted the PS3). If and for whatever reasons DeanK accepted money for services is his business just as if you "mod" a friends PS3 for money which can be done for free, but that's okay right? Pfft.

At any rate, a free payload with the Cobra features would be nice and the Cobra has had a good run (much more then any other Dongle) so I doubt they will mind too much.

I liked it more back in the day when a solution was released and if people wanted it they bought it and no one tour into the product, but with the popularity with limited modification solutions like CFW for the PS3 and the ease in which morons can flash it I find myself surrounded by ... morons.

Heed the words of the wise man; if you're around in another 20 years you'll see I'm right. Most of you will move on past your little teenager and early 20's piracy binge to other sorts of things and have contribute nothing, but garbage to the scene. My hats off to those of you as you've crafted the PS3 scene into what it is today.

froid_san - 12-18-2012, 10:47 AM
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dean don't need to implement this on multiman since from the start MM supports cobra. You could use the same Version of MM and get different functionalities depending on the CFW your using. CFW like rogero or rebug just need to implement this if they want to

Tranced - 12-18-2012, 10:51 AM
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Originally Posted by deank

I love that people still love to speculate and put 'actions' in my routine (or words in my mouth). And well-done, octo!

People love to speculate dude but don't worry the end of the world nears...

propJOE - 12-18-2012, 11:00 AM
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Sure, end is near, end of all things.
People, play fast, die slow.

Octo, one of the best. Shiat, got a feeling he will follow Juans steps.

Deank, how you doing mate. Have a nice hollidays.