A new Gamers Nexus investigation found a retail LG TV actively scanning the local network for phones, laptops, smartwatches and other connected devices, while also capturing microphone audio when the screen appeared to be in standby. The investigation found voice data being stored locally even after the TV was disconnected from the network, with the queued data uploaded once connectivity returned. Researchers also uncovered webOS vulnerabilities that could potentially turn the television into a remotely controlled surveillance device. The really unsettling part isn’t just the advertising angle. It’s the fact that a consumer television can sit inside your trusted network, enumerate other devices, access a microphone, store collected data locally and communicate with external infrastructure. Put that same device in a corporate office, hospital, hotel or conference room and the security implications become considerably more serious. I went through the investigation in detail, including the network scanning, microphone behavior, ACR, webOS attack surface, offline data collection and practical mitigations

  • lIlIlIlIlIlIl@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    they refuse to work without an account

    That’s called “a bad purchase” or “a return,” you can’t just bring active spyware into your home

    • Abrinoxus@lemmy.today
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      1 day ago

      consumer power yey! to bad its easier just to cave in for most especially with how big and bulky modern tvs are. Not that i have one

    • OwOarchist@pawb.social
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      2 days ago

      Yep. If a new TV I buy doesn’t work without an account, I’m returning it to the store because it ‘doesn’t work’. No other possibility.