Nintendo Takes Wii U Versions of Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon Offline Over Security Issues
Nintendo has taken the Wii U versions of Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon offline as it attempts to fix security issues “related to online play.”
As discovered by VGCthe following maintenance article related to the online features of Wii U games Nintendo website Friday, March 3rd at 4:30 GMT (8:30 PT).
“This network service is currently unavailable due to urgent maintenance required to fix vulnerabilities related to online play. We do not yet have information on when network services will be restored. Sorry for the inconvenience. I apologize for that.”
The security vulnerability is arguably ENLBufferPwn, which allows an attacker to hijack your console simply by connecting online.
This exploit impacted many Nintendo games on Switch, along with Mario Kart 7 on 3DS.https://t.co/GWR6alQVy4
— Oatmeal Dome (@OatmealDome) March 3, 2023
At the time of writing, both games are still offline, with no timetable given as to when the issue will be resolved.
Nintendo has not identified the source of the security concerns. However, his OatmealDome, an established data miner, suggested in a tweet that the game may have been taken offline for fear of a network vulnerability called ENLBufferPwn.
According to a Twitter thread, this potential vulnerability would allow attackers to take over another player’s console simply by connecting online via multiplayer matchmaking.
OatmealDome is eyeing multiple Wii U and Switch. and 3DS games have been patched to protect users from attacks, but “Splatoon 1 and Mario Kart 8 received nothing”.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video game news for IGN. With his 8+ years of experience covering the latest developments in multiple scientific fields, he has absolutely no time for cheating. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
