On Reddit and other social networks, many PlayStation 4 owners reported that a malicious message that contains a string of characters might cause Sony consoles to freeze and crash. On some occasions, PlayStation 4 crashes so badly that only a factory reset can make it work once again.
This kind of malicious message is common on mobile platforms where many such attacks have been recorded over the time, the most recent one affecting WhatsApp instant messaging application. This one, however, is the first such case registered on PlayStation 4 consoles. If the threat is indeed real, then Sony will quickly release a firmware update to tackle the issue.
However, until Sony fixes this bug, you can avoid getting your PS 4 messed up by the malicious message using some of the methods presented below. But keep in mind that these are just temporary solutions against the issue, as everything will be solved out when Sony will launch the firmware update.
PlayStation 4 Might Crash Due To Malicious Message – Here’s How To Avoid That
First, you can bypass the issue by opening any messages you receive directly with the PlayStation Messages app for Android or iOS instead of using your console to read your messages.
Also, you can restrict messages on your PlayStation 4 to avoid getting that malicious one. You can do that by either going to this link and selecting Personal Info -> Messages section or by accessing Settings -> Account Management -> Privacy Settings -> Choose Personal Info -> Messages using your PlayStation 4 console.
From there, you have to opt for “Friends Only.” That would mean that only your friends can send you messages. You can also select “No One” option which means that nobody would be able to send you messages.
According to Sony, in case you’ve already been affected by the malicious message, you can boot your PlayStation 4 in Safe Mode and rebuild the database, a process which shouldn’t delete your saved data.
