Lockdown v1.5 – password protect your PSP using its default buttons

Homebrew developer Torch tipped us off of a new password protection app for the PlayStation Portable entitled “Lockdown”. This homebrew program makes use of a very clean cut yet efficient interface for the more discreet handheld users. You can read the complete details of Lockdown v1.5 in our full article after the jump.

  

Security features on the PlayStation Portable have always been one of the aspects that the gaming handheld was a bit more relaxed about. It’s a good thing that homebrew developer Torch was able to come up with a new password protection app which uses a very clean cut, yet efficient interface for the more discreet PSP users.

Lockdown utilizes a modern GUI, which makes use of the PSP’s buttons as a password system instead of an onscreen keyboard. It also supports the Recovery Menu, as well as two different modes of operation.

The first mode is the more standard password input upon booting your handheld or powering it up. The other mode will prompt the user for a password each time the XMB is launched (such as after quitting a game). Lockdown definitely steps up your handheld’s security features up a notch with such an extensive feature.

In addition, application errors will be displayed normally on the XMB when you happen to get booted out of any games or homebrew programs you’re running at the time.

Anyway, here’s the complete changelog history of Lockdown ever since it was first released:

v1.5

• Completely unloads module after launching XMB resulting in more free memory for other applications. This should allow the debug version to work on a Phat.
• Full Phat compatibility for the graphical version to be added shortly.

v1.4

• Reduced stack memory.

v1.3

• Added debug versions that use text output.

v1.2

• Fixed sleep mode from not working in some situations.

v1.1

• Reduced heap size, and freed some allocated memory on quit.

v1.0

• First release

The developer suggested that users install only vshmain.prx and forgo renaming or installing recovery.prx the first time you install Lockdown into your handheld. This way, you can always revert to your original config should anything go wrong with the installed vshmain.prx file.

The homebrew app was tested on a PSP Slim & Lite running on custom firmware 3.90 M33-3. The developer noted that there were some problems running Lockdown on a PSP Phat due to memory problems, but assured everyone that this will be fixed as soon as possible.

In any case, you can discuss Lockdown with the author by visiting the QJ.NET PSP Development forum, accessible through the link below. Also, don’t forget to read the included documentation for more details on how to install the app.

Download: Lockdown v1.5
Visit: QJ.NET’s PSP Development forum