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## Pokémon Discussion

### 'Evil Pokérus' concept - Page 1

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#### 'Evil Pokérus' concept

Posted by: VaeporSage
Date: 2014-05-07 16:07:00
So today, my friends and I discussed the possibility of altering the code of Pokérus in a game so that, when transferred to a foreign game, rather than doing what it normally does, it would instead cause harmful effects.
One idea discussed was that the 'Pokérus' (really a totally different program under the same name) could trigger a flag that would automatically press the buttons required (Up+select+B -> Up -> A) to erase the save file at the start screen once someone turned on their game after a certain period - we agreed on 48 hours. :P
So such a 'virus' would have the best launch pad imaginable via the Wonder Trade and would have an adequate dissemination period for 'infecting' further games.
We acknowledged that it would be impractical to find a way to get games other than your own to accept the code you gave to your new Pokérus program. But I was curious: in reality, how far could such a project go? Could there really be such potential for the mass destruction of Pokémon games in such a way?
Notwithstanding the illegality of a similar endeavour, what's the worst you really could hack a Pokérus-like concept to do to others' games?

#### Re: 'Evil Pokérus' concept

Posted by: pokechu22
Date: 2014-05-07 16:13:29
You'd have to find some way to attach the script to the Pokémon you are transferring, which is probably impossible.
It would only work if multiple games were prehacked, [size=1pt]or if you hacked Nintendo's update server[/size].

#### Re: 'Evil Pokérus' concept

Posted by: OwnageMuch
Date: 2014-05-07 20:08:20
What you're essentially asking is if you can execute arbitrary code by transferring someone a Pokémon, which you can't.

#### Re: 'Evil Pokérus' concept

Posted by: Bent`
Date: 2014-05-08 03:13:57

> Notwithstanding the illegality of a similar endeavour, what's the worst you really could hack a Pokérus-like concept to do to others' games?

In general, it would require a vulnerability in existing code that you can take advantage of. Remember Twilight Hack? It worked because Twilight Princess would load Eponas name from the save file into memory without checking how long the name is. Under normal circumstances that didnt matter, because when you name the horse from ingame, its restricted to just a few characters. But if you had access to the save file directly, you could give it as long a name as you want, and the game would blindly copy the entire thing into memory. Since the game only allocates a few characters in memory for the name, any more characters would be copied into memory thats really meant to be interpreted by other parts of the game program, so you could construct a name that includes executable code, and have the game execute it. Boom, the Homebrew Channel was born.
Of course, a wellwritten game wouldnt be vulnerable to anything like that. Is Pokémon? Better start looking

#### Re: 'Evil Pokérus' concept

Posted by: Stackout
Date: 2014-05-08 04:29:22

> Of course, a wellwritten game wouldnt be vulnerable to anything like that. Is Pokémon? Better start looking

Maybe. Would an improperly terminated Pokémon nickname mean automatic Bad Egg? I know in R/S at least, I've had Pokémon past the sixth slot only turn into Bad Eggs after I press A on them (and their improperly terminated nicknames are shown, it seems, before they turn into Bad Eggs and cause corruption of whatever part of RAM..)
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