Hackers find first Xbox cracks

A hacking group called Team PI Coder has claimed it can extract games' source files as they are uploaded onto the video game console, media outlets reported this week.

But the extracted files aren't much good right now because they can't yet be burned onto recognizable disc copies, said Steve Manzuik, security product manager at eEye Digital Security.

"All these hackers are doing is figuring out the file format and ripping the content," he said. "But I don't think they're going to be able to use any of these rips."

Microsoft has not yet commented on the targeting of games for the newest version of the Xbox.

The gamer website Xbox-Scene.com warned users on its website that "downloading such releases is illegal, and you can't do anything with them yet."

The site also quoted a statement from Team PI Coder, saying, "You can't run these dumps yet, but you will be able to sooner or later. So the first task is done. We hope this encourages all hackers, coders and crackers out there to take up the challenge."

Manzuik warned on Tuesday that this early, relatively harmless breach could eventually lead to hackers finding their way into the Xbox console itself.

"This is kind of the first step," he said.

www.microsoft.com/xbox/

www.xbox-scene.com