That big screen smart TV mounted on your living room wall could be watching you. According to software specialist NCG Group some smart televisions with built in microphones could be spying on their owners.
What a lot of owners of smart TVs don’t understand is that their television is actually a computer. Some smart televisions can connect to the Internet, send and receive email, browse the web and even answer the phone or Skype conversations. It’s simply not your father’s television. These televisions, with the introduction of malware, can become surveillance devices. They can actually listen to and record your conversations. This capability was demonstrated at a recent Infosec Conference in London.
“Malicious apps could be downloaded from the manufacturer’s app store. The TV does have the option for auto-updating, so releasing a legitimate app, then releasing a malicious update, is another attack vector,” said Felix Ingram, principal consultant at NCC Group. Many television manufacturers have released the source code for the television software and this makes it easier for hackers to insert malware.
And it is happening to smart TVs from almost every manufacturer. Electronics giant LG recently admitted that one of its models has been transmitting information while the user was watchng television without the owner’s knowledge or consent. A Samsung smart TV was hacked causing Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) to write Samsung demanding they improve the security of their product.
Breaking It Down
Black people, like all Americans love their big fancy televisions. Almost as much as we love our cars. But the bottom line is that we are becoming more and more vulnerable to our technology and those who may use it against us. How would you like it of you discovered that someone was watching you watch television…in your underwear!
This is really creepy. We discovered long ago that hackers could turn our computer webcams on. The same thing is now happening to our compu-tvs. Awareness is vital when we learn of these issues and black people need to make sure we preserve our privacy. How do we do this?
First you can cover the camera on your smart TV. Use a piece of tape to or Post-It note to cover the lens. You can also disconnect the network from your television when you are not using it for Internet access. But you won’t be able to access Netflix or other web streaming services.
But I think I need to point out something else. Since smart TVs can access the Internet some people use them to do things like shop or bank. You know where this is going right? A hacker smart enough to hack into your television is also smart enough to steal your banking user name and password. They could also steal credit card information if you shop online using your smart TV. Another thing you need to understand is that many new techno gadgets are entering the market place that allow you to control your home thermostat, lock and unlock the doors to your home, control appliances and much more.But many of these devices have no security leaving wide open to hackers. By the way this includes your home security system and your car.
Its vital that black people understand these vulnerabilities in their cyber world. Now you know.