Nintendo is again being targeted by hackers, as the source code and design files for its Wii console have been leaked online.
The last few weeks have been stressful for Nintendo -- multiple leaks related to its old systems have emerged on online forum 4chan, according to ResetEra member Atheerios. These leaks were reportedly leading up to what he considered "the biggest of them all," which is the full documentation, design files, source code, and everything else that makes up its popular Wii console.
Atheerios noted that the Nintendo servers itself weren't hacked, but the servers of the company that it hired to develop Wii, BroadOn. Hackers also stole the block diagram, datasheets, and Verilog files for all of the Wii's components, which reveals how every single piece of the console was designed.
Apart from the Wii files, source codes and debug builds for "Spaceworld '99" and "Pokemon Blue and Yellow" demos have been leaked as well. Additionally, GameCube source codes and an official GameBoy emulator have been published online as well. Atheerios also posted a video that showed a demo ROM used to test the Nintendo 64.
With the consoles involved in the leak being the older ones, it is unlikely that players will be affected. However, the Wii source code and design files will likely prove to be interesting for people who would like to know how Nintendo's most popular console works.
While likely to be of use to the majority of the gaming public, there are some people out there who would jump at a chance to figure out how classic Nintendo video game consoles were made, be it so they can duplicate the technology for profit or simply teach themselves some new coding tricks.
Nintendo last month also suffered a massive data breach affecting 160,000 Network ID accounts, in which sensitive information of its users has been compromised.
After reports of players suffering fraudulent transactions and suspicious logins flooded social media and online forums, Nintendo started to launch an investigation and found that hackers have accessed the personal data of the breached accounts. Paypal accounts and credit cards linked to Nintendo eShop and My Nintendo Store have been accessed by attackers as well.
This hacking activity hits closer to home for players, especially after Nintendo suggested everyone to enable two-factor authentication as protection against such attacks, compared to the Nintendo Wii source code leaks. However, Nintendo will need to improve its security, or else it will be a matter of time before hackers deal massive damage.
