virus

The hugely popular PlayStation Portable games device has become the latest target for computer miscreants, with the discovery of a "Trojan horse" program that renders the machines inoperable.

The PSP is designed to run only approved games and software, but unauthorised codes, or "patches", can be downloaded and installed in order to bypass these controls. The newly discovered malicious software, or "malware", poses as just such an illicit patch. The problem is that, once installed, it deletes four critical system files, rendering the infected device useless.

Researchers at antivirus firm Symantec say the Trojan, dubbed Trojan.PSPBrick, was found circulating on gaming web sites last week. PSP users who unwittingly install it will see the message "Your PSP 2.0 is hacked, please reboot" pop up on the screen of their console. However, efforts to restart the gadget are likely to end in frustration.

"It's a really nasty trick," says Mikko Hyppönen, director of antivirus research at Finnish company F-Secure. He believes there is no way to remedy an infected machine without taking it for costly repairs. "A hacker as destructive as this obviously isn't thinking straight."