Vulnerable Smart TV – Risky Convenience

If you have a TV or set-top box which can stream content over the internet, your device and personal information may be vulnerable through security flaws according to a recent study published by Consumer Reports.  That vulnerable smart tv is really a special purpose computer with an internet connection.

The rapid deployment of smarter devices in our homes, offices, cars and daily lives have provided a rich field for hackers to leverage.  Your smart TV is just one of the rush of IoT (Internet of Things) devices rushing to make our lives more convenient with little regard for privacy or security.

Why Hackers Bother with Your Vulnerable Smart TV 

You might wonder why hackers should bother with your TV, toaster or internet connected fridge.  The potential exposure goes far beyond pranks like maxing your volume or switching away from your favorite program.  These devices, which are often connected to home or office networks to do their job, provide a potential beachhead which hackers could use to gather information about you directly or from other devices on the network.

Even if you don’t have any information hackers value, they may still value your smart TV and other devices as part of a botnet.  A compromised device can be used in combination with others to carry out distributed attacks or even sold on a thriving black market for others to rent for their own attacks.

WiFi Access

Most of the current vulnerabilities are somewhat mitigated by the fact that they require an attacker to gain access to the same network your TV is using.  Unfortunately, for most users, this isn’t as difficult as it might seem.

The growing flood of malware infecting web sites and mobile devices can fairly easily gain access to that smart TV.  Studies show that most users can be tricked into opening infected email, accessing compromised web sites or installing “free” software with unpleasant payloads.  Your TV is just one target of many.

What to Do

Good security practices include updating your software so don’t forget to update the software on that computer you call a TV.  Most have an auto-update setting which you might want to consider.

Run anti-malware on your devices.  This may or may not be available for your TV but all devices which can, generally should be running some form of anti-malware at some level.

Watch for weird behavior.  Like any computer, a compromised smart TV may show symptoms through unexpected operation like slow response to your remote, unusual bandwidth consumption, overheating or sluggish response in general.  This might be a benign issue or something which should prompt a warranty call.

Check your manufacturer web site for updates, recalls or guidance.  This might fix or help you mitigate the potential risk.  Instructions might include a factory reset or special upgrade procedure.

Adjust your firewall, if available.  If you have a home network router or more sophisticated business network, you can probably restrict access to and from your TV and other IoT devices to essential services.