Nintendo Warns Against Using Old USB Connector Due To Security Risks

Nintendo warned customers on Wednesday against using its Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector and the (Japan-exclusive) Wi-Fi Network Adapter over fears around its safety (as spotted by GoNintendo).

The devices, which came out in 2005 and 2008 respectively, let users play a list of supported games online on their DS, provided they had access to a broadband-connected PC. But now Nintendo is warning against their use, stating on its website that it could lead to "falsification of communication data by a third party, network hijacking, or unauthorized access", among other risks. It is therefore asking its customers to switch to other commercial network equipment instead.

The main issue, as highlighted by GoNintendo, seems to be that the devices use WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), which is an insecure Wi-Fi protection algorithm compared to other more modern methods. This means that third parties can decrypt it in only a short period of time. The Network adapter also appears to have a vulnerability that allows it to be infected with malware from third parties, which seems to be another reason to stay away.

For many, this news won't really be a cause for concern, with the device not really being the most frequently used of Nintendo's peripherals today, but there are still some who do take advantage of it for tasks such as transferring DS homebrews and connecting to Wiimmfi, a replacement service for the defunct Nintendo Wii-Fi connection. Using the USB Connector requires either Windows 7 or the Windows XP operating system, though, so we're willing to bet this is a very small minority of people.