The (theoretically) smart televisions of the manufacturers make our lives a little easier by offering access to various applications and services that enrich the multimedia experience but also introduce new risks to our security and privacy.
This is confirmed by Samsung, who in fact explains how users should scan their smart TV to avoid potential malware threats. The problem is that we must do this process manually, something that is not exactly too ‘smart’ and that complicates the experience for users without a more technical profile.
That was precisely one of the complaints of Twitter users who responded to the announcement that the company made in this social network. “Why not make the TV do it automatically and periodically? “
Certainly, Samsung could do something like that, because as some pointed out, leaving that task to the end user means that probably the analysis to try to detect malware will never occur.
It is not clear if this message was sent in response to a potential threat detected by Samsung. Smart TVs have been affected by malware problems in the past.
WikiLeaks discovered a software called “Weeping Angel” that was able to activate listening on Samsung TVs. And shortly after discovered up to 40 security holes in Tizen, the operating system they pre-install on their TVs.
These specific vulnerabilities are added to others more generic but equally worrisome. In addition to that potential threat posed by the microphones integrated into these televisions and that could end up being controlled remotely to spy on us.
These are the risks that continue to impose devices with increasing benefits but that also pose those threats and that perhaps should automate their control and not delegate these security actions to the user.
