Sony is reportedly planning to issue a patch later this month which will remove software installed by its Micro Vault USB thumb drives.

Security researchers at F-Secure had claimed that the drives were performing covert installations of software that could leave users vulnerable to attack.

A Sony spokesperson told vnunet.com last week that three of the devices had been discontinued owing to sluggish sales.

The spokesperson could not confirm information in a report by vnunet.com's sister title Computeractive citing a statement that sets mid-September as the target date for the patch.

F-Secure claimed that several Micro Vault drives equipped with fingerprint readers installed drivers which behaved like rootkits.

The researchers claimed that the behaviour of the software could allow an attacker to deliver malicious payloads without the user's knowledge.

The reports brought back memories of Sony's 2005 XCP scandal, in which DRM rootkits were found embedded in the company's music CDs.

F-Secure said that it has spoken to Sony and that the company has asked for the security firm's research notes on the matter.