● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 neutral
Modder uses $4 Raspberry Pi Pico to perform Xbox 360 voltage glitch hack
Key points
- Xbox 360 CPU force-reset exploit performed with Raspberry Pi Pico.
- The hack uses a $4 microcontroller for precise voltage glitching.
- This method allows custom code execution on the console.
- The modder, Joshua Kennedy, worked on this for nine years.
New Method for an Established Exploit
A modder has demonstrated how to perform the Xbox 360 CPU force-reset exploit using a Raspberry Pi Pico. This exploit, originally requiring specialized hardware and a voltage-glitching chip, can now be achieved with a microcontroller costing approximately $4. The technique involves sending a precisely timed signal to the CPU's reset pin, causing it to execute instructions incorrectly.
Bypassing Console Security
The CPU force-reset exploit allows custom code to run on the Xbox 360, circumventing Microsoft's cryptographic security layers. Achieving this requires nanosecond-level timing precision for the signal sent to the CPU. Older glitch-chips often needed multiple attempts to succeed.
Nine-Year Effort Culminates
Joshua Kennedy, a Scottish hacker, began attempting this mod in 2017 using a Matrix Coolrunner Rev D modchip. After shelving the project, he revisited it in 2026 with the Raspberry Pi Pico. He used the Pico to dump the console's NAND flash firmware via the PicoFlasher utility and then patched the data with XeLL before reuploading it.
Technical Implementation
The process involved connecting the Raspberry Pi Pico to the console's NAND interface header. After dumping and patching the NAND data, Kennedy downloaded Octal450's Timing Files, which are mini-programs designed to trigger the glitch chip at optimal moments for the exploit.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
Reporting from
A modder successfully performed an Xbox 360 CPU force-reset exploit using a $4 Raspberry Pi Pico, completing a nine-year effort. This method allows custom code execution by precisely timing a signal to the CPU's reset pin, bypassing Microsoft's security measures.