Scammers Exploit PS5 Emulator Craze to Spread Malware, Security Experts Warn

Security experts have raised alarms about fake PS5 emulators after discovering that scammers are duping gamers into downloading malware. NordVPN's Threat Intelligence research team reported identifying a scam campaign that distributes malware via GitHub repositories masquerading as PS5 emulation software for PC. The scammers are leveraging two well-known emulator projects to lure gamers into downloading what appears to be an infostealer. According to NordVPN, the malware employs sophisticated anti-analysis techniques to avoid detection, adds itself to Windows Defender exclusions, and erases its own traces post-infection. This campaign capitalizes on the growing interest in PS5 emulation on PC, which has surged in recent months as hackers use AI to aid their efforts. For instance, PS5 exclusives like Astro Bot and the Demon's Souls Remake were recently demonstrated running on PC. "Emulation fans are a perfect target. They are used to downloading experimental software from GitHub and running unsigned files, so nothing about this feels suspicious," said Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer at NordVPN. "But this is not an emulator. It steals your data, hides from your antivirus, and erases its own tracks before you notice anything is wrong." Last week, Sony released a new PS5 firmware update that some believe was intended to counter the homebrew community's persistent jailbreak attempts. A cat-and-mouse game ensues, with the homebrew scene racing to release a new jailbreak for the latest firmware, only to start over when Sony issues another security-enhancing update. This has sparked concerns that if a PS5 jailbreak becomes available for the firmware required by GTA 6, launching next month, Rockstar's game could be pirated on PS5 and potentially even ported to PC. IGN reported on a hacker who caused an uproar in the PS5 homebrew community by privately reporting an exploit to Sony and claiming a $50,000 bounty instead of keeping it confidential for the community. Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg via Getty Images.