This is Walter Schulz, core team member of the Magic Lantern project and been there back then when Canon introduced firmware 1.3.6 for EOS 5D3. Not sure what you mean by "Firmware 2.3".
Let's clear this up:
- Canon came up with 1.3.3 to 1.3.5. This disabled in-cam downgrade via Canon Menu. But it was still possible to use EOS Utility's firmware update option to install 1.1.3 or 1.2.3 (or any other version up to 1.3.5).
- There were no additional locks installed. We always had the option to port ML to 1.3.3 or 1.3.5. We could but we don't wanted to and there was no need.
- Other cams didn't get this treatment.
Then came 1.3.6 which disabled the EOS Utility option, too.
Now it looked like Canon forced our hand and we were forced to port ML to 1.3.6.! Meh! But no additional locks either. Porting ML to 1.3.6 essentially was the same as for 1.2.3.
Some users got 1.3.6 installed during maintainance because Canon Support installed this version without asking.
Some (singel one or more, don't remember) went back and asked for downgrade in order to use ML again. And Canon Support did that. Not exactly the action you expect from a company with the intention to block ML, right? ;-)
It didn't take long and user Apollo7 came up with a method to bypass this downgrade lock.
Which came handy because of a publicity stunt by someone: https://research.checkpoint.com/2019/say-cheese-ransomware-i...
"Strange" attack vector for sure. Well, it made news and Canon reacted by patching several camera firmwares for ML-enabled cams (but not all of them!).
But again: There was no lock making ML development for patched firmware more difficult or even disabling it! It would still be possible to port ML to any new firmware. We just wanted to avoid the load of unwanted work. Porting is no joke and may result in headache. Lot of work.
But today Canon upped their game. They learnt how to use real security features and newer cams won't allow our old methods to work. True.
So ... can you please stop the nonsense "was specifally designed to break it on all DSLRs", please?
With all due respect, this event was literally over a decade ago so yes I apologize that I got some numbers/info wrong, but the light derision at the end is unnecessary. I distinctly remember the firmware update they did making it so you couldn’t boot magic lantern on the 5d3 which caused a problem for us on a shoot where we had the raw pipeline ready to go. I thought it was broader. Clearly my memory is mistaken, I was just using an example that I (apparently incorrectly) recalled. https://www.eoshd.com/news/canon-blocking-magic-lantern-late...
I was and still am a big fan of the project. I have a t3i still in service because of it. But it is disappointing to receive the tail end of that comment from your account you apparently made just because I gave a quick, flawed example to make a larger point that in no way reflected on your efforts or magic lantern. It was to illustrate how quickly things can go south if a company determines to make it so. Which it sounds like is currently the case with Canon.
Appreciate the clarification nonetheless and have a nice weekend. I know it wasn’t the rudest thing online but for some reason your tone there just kind of got to me. Apologies if it seems like an overreaction. I was a long time admirer of your work so that’s probably why
This is Walter Schulz, core team member of the Magic Lantern project and been there back then when Canon introduced firmware 1.3.6 for EOS 5D3. Not sure what you mean by "Firmware 2.3". Let's clear this up: - Canon came up with 1.3.3 to 1.3.5. This disabled in-cam downgrade via Canon Menu. But it was still possible to use EOS Utility's firmware update option to install 1.1.3 or 1.2.3 (or any other version up to 1.3.5). - There were no additional locks installed. We always had the option to port ML to 1.3.3 or 1.3.5. We could but we don't wanted to and there was no need. - Other cams didn't get this treatment.
Then came 1.3.6 which disabled the EOS Utility option, too. Now it looked like Canon forced our hand and we were forced to port ML to 1.3.6.! Meh! But no additional locks either. Porting ML to 1.3.6 essentially was the same as for 1.2.3. Some users got 1.3.6 installed during maintainance because Canon Support installed this version without asking. Some (singel one or more, don't remember) went back and asked for downgrade in order to use ML again. And Canon Support did that. Not exactly the action you expect from a company with the intention to block ML, right? ;-)
It didn't take long and user Apollo7 came up with a method to bypass this downgrade lock. Which came handy because of a publicity stunt by someone: https://research.checkpoint.com/2019/say-cheese-ransomware-i... "Strange" attack vector for sure. Well, it made news and Canon reacted by patching several camera firmwares for ML-enabled cams (but not all of them!).
But again: There was no lock making ML development for patched firmware more difficult or even disabling it! It would still be possible to port ML to any new firmware. We just wanted to avoid the load of unwanted work. Porting is no joke and may result in headache. Lot of work.
But today Canon upped their game. They learnt how to use real security features and newer cams won't allow our old methods to work. True.
So ... can you please stop the nonsense "was specifally designed to break it on all DSLRs", please?
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