Xbox360... you can't TSOP us now!

"ah yes, the TSOP. As most of you will not know (and probably care less about), the TSOP was used by Microsoft on the original Xbox (revisions 1.0 through 1.5) to store the bootstrap code. But with Revision 1.6 (and above) Microsoft decided to toss the TSOP. If you already knew this then you can have a cookie. But don't touch the chocolate chip cookies - them's mine.
The TSOP is interesting because that is how the whole "modchip" industry got it's start. The modchip effectively replaced/bypassed the on-board TSOP, with a user friendly and writable method of negating Microsoft security code.

Now the smart cookies out there will also know that you don't need a modchip to run unsigned code (ie. "homebrew and archived games") on the original Xbox. You see, the TSOP is both readable and writable.

In fact, 99% of all xbox mods that I performed never required the purchase of a modchip. I simply wrote the 3rd party bios code directly to the TSOP.

So I wasn't prepared for what I found when I cracked my Xbox360 open the other day (you did read that blog entry didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?!?) It was the TSOP. yes, the sophis-ti-ma-cated doo-wacky was back with a vengence. So I unscrewed the cap on a bottle of the finest couvoisier and spent some quality time with her.

Does the existence of a TSOP on the Xbox360's motherboard mean the same LDT security attack will be available? Probably not. But it seems to at least be an potential opening."
Posted From The Soft Life: