Hacking Getting the MIG Switch to load an XCI dump without its original Initial Data

[admin]

I just got a MIG Switch card out of curiosity and I was tinkering with it.
For those who don't know, it's used by placing XCI dumps as well as other game specific bin files in the sd card of the MIG Switch, and are obtained from the original cartridge by using an app like nxdumptool.
Two of these bin files are mandatory to get the game to boot: Initial Data.bin and Certificate.bin. They stay the same for every cartridge of a specific game.
Now, if you want to use an XCI dump from a shady website it's impossible to get it to work without those files. By using the Certificate.bin from another game it has no problem, but this does not count for the Initial Data.bin. So I looked for a way to obtain this Initial Data from an XCI file and read a bit of the XCI file documentation from switchbrew dot org.

Here's what I understood so far:
The Switch checks if the cartridge is valid by doing a challenge–response authentication on the Initial Data.

The Package ID is contained both on the XCI and the Initial Data, on positions 0x110 and 0x0 respectively.

The Initial Data hash is on the XCI at position 0x160. It is calculated by doing a SHA-256 hash on the full Initial Data content.

So I was wondering, is there a way to to construct a functional Initial Data file starting from an XCI dump?
I also tried a reverse approach by editing the Package ID in the Initial Data from another game, generating the Initial Data hash and putting it in the XCI file but is not enough to get the Switch believe it's a real game.

Sorry if this may seem stupid but let me know what you think.

 

[Nicky77]

The revelation of "Getting the MIG Switch to load an XCI dump without its original Initial Data" flashcart has stirred curiosity and debate among gaming enthusiasts. This breakthrough potentially circumvents restrictions, enabling users to load XCI dumps without the original initial data. Such developments often spark discussions about the ethics and implications of piracy in gaming communities.

 

[Billy75]

Have you learned any additional information by tinkering with it? I have found a way to get either XCI or NSP files, but am still needing to expand my understanding of the component you mentioned which is the Initial Data.Bin. I lack a dumper so it won’t be possible for me to get an Initial Data.Bin. I don’t think this seems stupid. In fact, I believe this is the most comprehensive post and form website for this discussion. With all the grey areas being created from this technology, common social media pages will not be a safe place to house this information.