InsideJapan News Network

A Japanese citizen has confirmed responsibility for the writing of a software Trojan, it has emerged.

According to reports, the admission came duirng a recent hearing at Kyoto District Court - the 24-year-old Masato Nakatsuji is the first person to face arrest for the writing of malware.

While Trojan horses are a form of malware, in contrast with many computer viruses, Trojans are passed from one user to another through processes involving social engineering.

Under the terms of the case, Mr Nakatsuji is facing prosecution for his use of copyrighted animated material in the propagation of the Trojan.

"Al Capone was charged with tax evasion rather than racketeering and Nakatsuji is being charged with copyright infringement rather than for creating malware," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for security firm Sophos.

Mr Cluley also stressed that, should Mr Nakatsuji be found guilty, it is unlikely that people will be concerned over the details, that "it was his ill-advised choice of graphics which got him into legal trouble rather than virus writing".