Xbox 360 copy protection cracks

Hackers have taken the first step towards breaking the anti-piracy system on Microsoft's Xbox 360 game console.

Information about the work of Team PI Coder was posted to a Dutch piracy site along with the raw data from the games. There was also links to a small program the group produced that helps to extract the data.

The crackers have not managed to get the data off game disks, instead they have dug out the version of the game that the Xbox 360 creates when gamers start playing.

The crackers said they were releasing the raw data to help other hacking groups start the task of working out how the Xbox 360 tries to stop piracy.

"So the first task is done," wrote Team PI in the information files. "We hope this encourages all hackers, coders and crackers out there to take up the challenge."