Posted Sep 11, 2006 at 05:21PM by Chris L. Listed in: News Tags: downgrader, Flash Memory, Panda Software, PandaLabs, TIFF
Ó

PSPWhile homebrew development teams have been exploring the libtiff exploit to enable us to play homebrew games, others could be exploring it to brick our handhelds. According to Panda Software, these malware exploit the buffer overflow vulnerability of PSPs with firmware that can view TIFF files.

The company revealed that there is already a proof-of-concept code that demonstrates this vulnerability, and that hackers can take advantage of this flaw to wreak havoc on your PSP. Last year, their PandaLabs detected the Format.A and Tahen Trojan viruses designed to infect PSPs and delete its files, making the handheld unusable - bricked.

The most basic precaution that all PSP owners can take is to only connect to trusted and reliable sources. In addition, all downloaded files and software should be scanned with an updated anti-virus program to clear it of any threat to your PSP, says the company. But you guys always do that, right?



*NOTE* We need to clarify something about the use of anti-virus programs on PSP-specific files. They will also detect the Downgrader, X-flash, and other flash memory-loading programs as a "threat," even if they really aren't (as we all know), and may try to modify or even delete them. So be careful if you really plan on using anti-virus programs on PSP files. Or, more preferably, choose a trusted site.


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67 Comments


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   by Soma (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11

Whatever will I do.

   by Snarg (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » no duh

This is exactly why I said the 2.81 firmware was essential, and had nothing to do with the decrypter.

   by Bncplix (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11

2nd poster plx? :D


   by XChr0n (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11

Psht, only nubs get viruses on their PSP's.

   by Gam3Guy - 2006-09-11
 » hmm

Can I trust this site?

   by Rayn (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » then sony needs to make an Norton or something

if psp's can be hacked then it should be sony's job to make it more safe

   by soopergooman - 2006-09-11
 » ...

never thought of scanning before but i will now. as long as the psp can get virus's, someone should be making one or two for the ds's of the werld. why should they get left out or are they the Mac's of hhgaming.

   by DOM (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » SONY AND THE ALLEGED WEPONS OF MASS MEMORY DESTRUCTION

SONY PROBABLY TIPPED THEM OFF TO GET PEOPLE SCARED I BET SONY HAVE CREATED A MALICIOUS CODE AND THERE GONNA RELESE IT UNDER DRAGONUK'S USERNAME LOL SO WE BLAME HIM WHILS THEY LAUGH......

PEOPLE COMMON SENSE SAYS USE ONLY TRUSTED SOURCES AND IF IN DOUBT WAIT TILL SOME OTHER SUCKER TRYS THE EXPLOIT/PATCH/WHATEVER BEFORE YOU DO OR GET A UP CHIP AND YOU WILL HAVE NADA TO WORRY BOUT
HOLLA AT YA BOY

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   by gamerz275 - 2006-09-11
 » oh boy

wait.. if its just a TIFF couldnt you get infected by just going on the web browser? (if you open an infected page

   by 1 (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » 1

BS! Only sony will do that. So we be forced to update firmware, thats crap.

   by --- (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » ---

SNARG, GTFO OF MY INTERNET. Only *****ing morons get viruses on their PSPs, or on their computers now that I think of it.

   by Lyper (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11

Agree Post 10!! LoL!! Bah its definately not good for psp homebrew, but we couldnt dodge this virus anymore, now the infection will spreak all over the world!! AHHH DESTRUCTION!!

   by meh (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11

@6-they fixed the tiff exploits in 2.81........so they dont need to make anything, and why the hell do you think they would care for someone that isnt using the lastest firmware?they are evil

   by xdiscrackax - 2006-09-11
 » look

i say get pspantivirus from dcemu a good site and download all hb from here my favorite place

   by Snarg (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » #13

Exactly.

You see that's why they update firmwares when exploits are found, because it is there responsibility to do so!
They would be neglegent not to. Only narrow minded self absorbed people that can't see anything from any persepective but there own don't get that. cough: post11: cough.

   by DoN (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » It happened to me..kinda.

Ok well i was usin dev hook and playing a game i got out of the game and soon enough my game was deleted then nxt thing my other games where getting deleted so i formatted it and put dev hook back on with the games but it happened last night so ima have to pay attention to my files...Game was cso could it be the cso's?????

   by TheAgent (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11

simple answer, don't use your 1.5 psp to go web-surfing
not that its very good at it anyway

Sony could of at least put together some good apps for the psp themselves and whacked them on a UMD, if home brew bothered them that much


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   by meh (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11

@17-i never found a site that has some especific psp destroying virus....most sites that try to do something bad would probably look for a windows/system folder or something....so i assume surfing the web is save(since they cant force you to open a progam that flashes your psp,nor they can flash it directly)just assuming this stuff though...
@15-yeah it is their resposability, but that doesnt make them less evil =p

   by acme (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11

while we're all scanning for potential viruses the scanenrs will conveniently label our downgraders as virii, since its the exact same exploit...how nice

   by double edged sword (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » Like Duh...

Lets think about this for a moment. A hack is a hack. Pure and simple. What may seem as a way to get homebrew into our beloved psp's is also a way for others to f**k up our machines.

YES most certainly you are at risk (Anyone with fw less than 2.81 or 1.50 and devhook up to 2.71); I agree with (17) just don't web surf, or if you do, make sure you turn the images off. As a plus, turning off the images makes web sites load much faster on my psp anyway.

   by KFC Guy (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » it a threat

that happened when they make the downgrade of 2.0 and the news only stay for a couple of month and then dissapeared cause sony think that 2.+ nobody can downgrade so when $ony saw the 2.5/2.6 downgrade they make 2.71 and then 2.71 downgrade see the light they scared so bad that they make 2.81 so fast so they miss the decryption thing and now this the make bussines with panda labs so the can sell and antivirus or better make ppl upgrade the sofware!!!! HEARD THIS SONY I LOVE HOMEBREW AND I NEVER NEVER GIONG TO UPGRA TO YOUR PIECE OF $#!7 FW I RATHER USE DEV-HOOK
SO BOOSTER WHERE R U MAN!!!!!

   by skate4life (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » double edged sword ??

how do u TURN OFF IMAGES for web browser??

   by skate4life (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » double edged sword ??

how do u TURN OFF IMAGES for web browser??

   by random (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » this happened to me?

awhile ago.. like 4 months? ive had a prblem like this.. or soo.. i added a folder into music with some songs (game songs? ) and then in about a week i decided to delete it.. to add some games.. soo i did but wen i deleted it unhooked the usb.. then hooked it up again it automatically copied that song folder back into my psp.. and i tried deleting it directly .. and then with irshell but wateva i did wen i rehook the usb it auto copied the folder.. the onli way i got outa this was format my mem (2gig) .. soo i was wonderin if this had some to do with the topic :P

   by sdgdfg (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » fdgfdgf

homebrew firewall? just a thought

   by double edged sword (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » >> 22 turning off images

Using the official $ony browser you can.

Open up the browser, goto tools -> Settings -> View Settings. From here you can disable images

   by Phyllo (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » @22-23

RTFM tools > settings > view settings

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   by skate4life (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » double edged sword !! advice

thx man much appricated

   by killa726 (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » R.I.P

In loving memory of those who died on September 11th, send this to 11 people and something good will happen tomarrow, if not, yo don't have a heart

   by double edged swrod (Unregistered) - 2006-09-11
 » only protects you from net

My solution still does not protect you from the threats of malicious homebrew that takes advantage of the libtiff exploit.

However, one half of the program is solved, if there is no way for the web-browser to be scripted to turn images back on!!



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