Foster City (CA) - Sony is the face of a new malware threat that deals with fingerprint-authenticating USB drives.

According to a report from F-Secure, Sony's MicroVault USM-F fingerprint reading software comes with an infected USB stick.  The software reportedly installs a hidden file on the user's computer and is invisible from certain antivirus scanners.

It's a mirror case of Sony's huge debacle with Sony BMG Music CDs that prompted users to install malware when the CD was played back on a PC.

Unlike the Sony BMG case, however, it is believed that Sony did not have malintent with the MicroVault software.  F-Secure says the rootkit placement is likely just a way to make the software more secure.

The security news site also noted that Sony's MicroVault software available from Sony.net also contains the same problem.

According to F-Secure, the affected MicroVault software is an older product and has been essentially phased out.

Leave it to Sony to mess up your PC

Aug 27, 2007 11:25     

They are doing it again.... Hope that somebody sues them into oblivion...
M-Theory report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

LOL! they did it again :)

Aug 27, 2007 13:26     

I'm trying to stay away from Sony products.
Malsony report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

umm...what about blu-ray?

Aug 27, 2007 13:51     

Wonder if Sony is putting something similar on all the Blu-Ray discs?
BobT report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

That means everything from SONY SUX

Aug 27, 2007 13:51     

That means everything from SONY SUX
wow report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Sony VAIO anyone???

Aug 27, 2007 14:39     

Another reason why I will never buy a VAIO computer - useless preinstalled bloatware, hard-to-find proprietary drivers and now another !@#$% rootkit. Sony should just get out of the PC business and stick with what they do best - TV's.
Luscious report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

RE: blu-ray

Aug 27, 2007 18:02     

Not yet. They can't afford to put rootkits on blu-ray discs, not while there's still competition in the HD market. If they manage to crush HD-DVD you just might see a rootkit on a future BD-ROM. You know. To stop TEH PIHRATES!
Alexvrb report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Sony sets a record suckfest!

Aug 27, 2007 18:22     

Don't forget the exploding batteries folks. Rootkits, spyware, exploding batteries, and more rootkits. Sony really knows how to screw their customers.
Task report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Tired of being accused of theft..

Aug 27, 2007 20:50     

..just for buying their products. They could spend more time and money developing better stuff if they'd accept the fact that whatever scheme they come up with WILL be defeated within 30 days by some 13 year old. Only their paying customers really have to deal with their DRM and copy protection systems.
Me report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Sony Taught By Microsoft?

Aug 28, 2007 07:30     

It sounds more like what Microsoft would do. Is Microsoft teaching Sony how to do business? :)
TomLeeM/BigWarpGuy report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

I will never buy sony

Aug 28, 2007 09:07     

I dont care what product it is, Im staying away from it. Thats why I want HD-DVD to prevail. I personally dont care which stores more or whatever, I just HATE sony.
Ted report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Sony caught me on the music CDs and destroyed my co...

Aug 28, 2007 10:01     

Sony caught me on the music CDs and destroyed my computer. I will never buy any product that uses any sort of Sony protection scheme. Bioshock is going though hell now because of the Sony DRM.
Jerry report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Where are the Sony Fanboys now???

Aug 28, 2007 11:29     

I have been complaining in HD-DVD / Bluray posts for weeks about how DRM should be THE major thing to consider in the HD DVD / Bluray battle. I may want to copy my HD movies to a media server someday so I dont have 200 disks laying around. I will be able to pull that off with HD DVD, but Bluray... probably not. Sony truly SUX... they treat their customers like crap... and Bluray should be kept a PS3 media storage device only. Please wake up people... HD DVD is the only way to go.

RockHop report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Hidden folders are not scary

Aug 28, 2007 11:34     

A hidden directory is nothing to worry about. It's just a normal directory with the "Hidden" flag set. Any user can create and view these. I want someone to name ONE antivirus program that cannot handle this. Any random windows machine has several hidden folders on it already. Good lord, a little knowledge in the wrong hands...
Brian report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Re-affirming my Anti Sony stance

Aug 28, 2007 13:45     

I almost bought a VAIO laptop, but when the first DRM issue came to light I did not. This is yet another reason to not trust this company and I refuse to buy any sony product. My kids wanted a PS3, that ain't happening. Might get a new Nintendo though! I just bought a new very nice digital camera, a Canon TX-1. Sony was not even considered as a vendor. Brian, you are right to a point, a basic hidden folder is not a terrible thing HOWEVER when it's Sony software that put it there then I start smelling a rat! Fool us once shame on them, fool us twice shame on me. I will not give them a chance to put the shame on me.

Rob report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Re: Hidden Folders are not scary

Aug 28, 2007 14:39     

A rootkit isn't merely a hidden file/folder. A rootkit can hide something from the os, filesystem, api. They can be very dangerous.
Josh report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Yay Sony....

Aug 28, 2007 18:18     

I for one don't buy any SOny products and try not to buy CDs unless I really really like the band. And Brian you have to remember that most 90% of people are not computer savvy. And of the 10%, only 5% are both hardware and/or software savvy so they never know how to access hidden files. This also shows that Sony doesn't respect the users privacy. I for one burn games onto my harddrive and use a virtual CD drive so I don't have to load a game each time. But Sonys "malware" tends to screw with that. Also the last one that Sony released screwed up a lot of peoples PCs and ones who don't instal Windows themselves probably had to pay to get it fixed, losing a lot of money over a simple program. I hope Sony gets fined personally. They keep screwing with us consumers and messing with our lives.

Jimmy report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Re: Hidden files

Aug 29, 2007 12:38     

Just a point of order, every file hidden by windows can be 'Un-hidden' they are visible in several certain views. This 'malware' installs files that are basically suck between the walls of the operating system. Mistaking this for a hidden file is like running Beryl on Vista. In addition this file(s) stuck in your OS's walls has a camera, AND reports back. So yes it's damn scary.
PieisGood report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0