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Sony pulls games from PSN to avoid hacking

Sony has pulled another PS Vita title from the PSN store following a blog by a known hacker about its security holes.

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Andrew Lanxon
2 min read

Sony has removed another hacked game from the PS Vita's store, following the removal of two similarly compromised titles last month.

Tetris lookalike Super Collapse 3 is the latest title Sony has pulled from sale on the PlayStation Store for the PS Vita, The Verge reports, following Vita hacker Wololo's announcement about the game's security holes. This tactic from Sony follows a similar move last month when Everybody's Tennis and MotorStorm: Arctic Edge were pulled for the same reasons.

The vulnerabilities in question allow Wololo's Vita Half-Byte Loader (VHBL) to be run through the game. The VHBL itself allows for homemade games to be played on the Sony PSP emulator within the PS Vita.

The PSP emulator is kept separately from the Vita's core operating system, so critical damage to your new handheld gaming device is unlikely, but for many, it might bring into question the integrity of the PlayStation Network, especially considering the massive hacks that took place last year.

In April, 70 million users' account details were swiped in an enormous attack, resulting in fury from customers regarding the potential theft of credit card details. Later in the year, over 93,000 accounts were again compromised, making it a pretty bad year for Sony. It's therefore reassuring to see the Japanese firm acting so quickly to stamp out any potential trouble before it's exploited by someone with a more malevolent nature.

If you're worried about the safety of your Vita then it's wise to always take a cautionary approach. The security holes in question here are exploited when people intentionally run software and games not purchased from the PSN. It's the same as running custom mods on an Android phone or 'jailbreaking' your iPhone. It's a potentially destructive move and it's not recommended by the manufacturer, so you won't find them helping you out if you inadvertently brick your device.

Do you have a PS Vita? Are there any games you've seen disappearing from the store? Let me know your experiences in the comments below or over on our Facebook page.