Nintendo Switch 2 gets its first jailbreak
Security researcher Sammy Hajhamid has unveiled ns2jb, the first fully software-based jailbreak for the Nintendo Switch 2 console.
The method can run third-party code on the latest firmware, version 23.0.1, without physically modifying the device or installing modchips. The creator used OpenAI Codex, an AI assistant, to develop the exploit.
The vulnerability was found in SmileBASIC 4, an app developed for the original Nintendo Switch that runs on the new console thanks to backward compatibility. A hacker using the handle pepsipu managed to trigger a buffer overflow in the runtime environment and gain elevated privileges at the filesystem module level.
Independent developers have already confirmed the method works by adding custom characters to a modified version of Mario Kart World. The privileges gained open up possibilities for creating custom modifications, running homebrew software, and backing up save data.
Despite the breakthrough, the authors warn that ns2jb is a tethered jailbreak. Access is lost when the console restarts, so the device must be reconnected to external control hardware to reactivate the exploit.
In addition, the method does not yet provide direct access to the operating system kernel or allow full custom firmware to be installed. The toolkit is difficult to set up and is aimed primarily at developers. Nintendo is likely already working to fix the vulnerability, which could be patched in one of the next software updates.
