How to keep your Smart TV safe
Having a Smart TV in your home is very convenient and fun. You can connect to web browsers, stream all your favorite shows with apps like Netflix and Hulu, and even play video games while you chat. with friends online.
But with all that fun comes the risk factors of hackers and malware trying to invade your device, just like they would a smartphone or computer.
Can my Smart TV be hacked?
The short answer is yes. But before you get too worried, it’s important to know that the chances of smart TVs being hacked are much less likely than your other smart devices. Many smart TVs do not come with camera or microphone features, so hackers are generally not that interested in trying to get into those devices because they couldn’t spy on your house. But hackers who might want to install malware on your TV are a different story.
VATICAN WEBSITE TARGETED BY MULTIPLE HACK ATTEMPTS, ABNORMAL ACCESS
Is my Smart TV at risk of malware?
Any smart device can be infected with malware, but again, smart TVs are generally not the devices that experience this issue. Although it has happened in the past with Samsung and Apple TVs, such cases are extremely rare, and here’s why:
It is very difficult to make a virus that works on a Smart TV
The operating systems of a Smart TV are very different from those of a phone or computer. Smart TVs are not capable of writing any type of code on the chip systems they were designed on, which means that a malware writer would have to write entirely new code for that TV to allow malware to take control. In short, it’s a long and difficult process that most malware writers haven’t taken the time to execute.
Smart TVs have digital signatures
Malware does not use digital signatures, but smart TVs use them every time the firmware is updated. So if the malware appeared on your Smart TV, the device would ignore it and be unable to do anything harmful. And the next time your TV’s firmware is updated again, a new code will come with the update and remove the malware completely.
Malware wouldn’t access much on your Smart TV
If your Smart TV does not have a camera and the microphone feature, you are probably more at risk of being spied on by malware. But if it’s not, there’s really not much for the malware to access other than TV settings and configuration files, which most malware writers aren’t very interested in anyway.
RANSOMWARE GROUPS ARE RIGHT: COULD IT BE YOUR NEXT TARGET?
Steps to keep your Smart TV protected
While the chances of your Smart TV being hacked or infected with malware are relatively low, there are still steps you should take for additional protection just to be on the safe side:
Disable ads and tracking on your Smart TV
Disabling ads and tracking on your Smart TV will mostly limit the collection of data about you and the content you are viewing. Here’s how to disable that feature on Samsung, LG, and Vizio TVs:
samsung
- Go to Settings > Support > Terms and privacy > Privacy options
- Select Information service display to disable Automated Content Recognition (ACR)
- Select Voice Recognition Services to adjust voice data collection
LG
- Go to Settings > Additional Settings > General
- Select Live Plus to disable Automated Content Recognition (ACR)
- Select Ads and change the setting to “Do not sell my personal information”
- Please review the terms of use and privacy policy, and then opt out of Live Plus information, voice information, interest-based and cross-device advertising, and automatic content recognition.
Vizio
- Go to Settings > Administration and privacy
- Select Data Display to turn off Automated Content Recognition (ACR)
- Select Advertising to adjust ad tracking
Disable camera and voice recognition settings
Most smart TVs don’t come with built-in microphones and cameras, but there is a way to disable those features for brands that do.
samsung
- Go to Settings > Support > Terms and policies
- Go to Voice Recognition Services and select Off
- Some Samsung models come with retractable cameras in the middle of the device. Gently push it back without touching the lens until you hear a click to turn it off.
LG
- Go to Settings > All Settings > General
- Select User Agreements
- Disable voice information settings
- Some LG TV models come with retractable cameras. Keep the lens pushed down at all times
Other brands of Smart TVs may come with external cameras. Make sure they are unplugged at all times.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
For more privacy tips, be sure to sign up for the CyberGuy Report newsletter at CyberGuy.com/Newsletter.
Copyright 2023 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Articles and content on CyberGuy.com may contain affiliate links that earn a commission when purchases are made.