Trojan's next target: Nintendo DS

The homebrew debate has been gathering steam over the last few weeks, most notably within the world of Sony's PSP. Coders have been making applications for the portable since its release, and Sony has been taking measures to limit homemade applications through firmware updates.

The debate hinges on the purpose of such homemade applications. Some may have useful (albeit nonlicensed) functions, some may unintentionally cause problems with hardware, and some intentionally cause hardware problems. An instance of a PSP version of the latter, disguised as a patch, was discovered last week.

Now it seems the Nintendo DS is facing a similar problem. Online sites have reported that a Trojan is now spreading misery to DS owners. According to Engadget.com, the application, disguised as a viewer for hentai (animated Japanese pornography), wipes out the handheld's firmware, making the device unplayable.

The Inquirer.net is reporting that a bricked DS can be restored by loading up the DS off of a flash card with the DS firmware.