Soon after Chromecast was released last year its software, which is a modified version of Android, was rooted. The root access allowed users to enable features that were off limits back then. It didn’t take long for Google to release a new software update that patched the root vulnerability. There hasn’t been much progress on that front since then but that changes today. It is now possible to root Chromecast with HubCap, a new solution that has been developed by well known XDA developers.
The team behind HubCap includes fail0verflow, GTVHacker, and Team-Eureka. They have jointly discovered and exploited a new software vulnerability in Chromecast which gives root access on the current software build as well as on new devices that are still sitting on shelves.
When root access has been achieved on the Chromecast, users can tinker with features like auto-updates, which should be disabled if you don’t want to lose root access if and when Google rolls out a new software update.
However there is a caveat. In order to root Chromecast via HubCap some extra hardware is required. A Teensy development board, which was used to hack the PS3 in the past, is needed. Full instructions are available on the XDA forum posting for HubCap.
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