14 DAY TRIAL // It’s the shopping season, and a growing number of users spend their time online scanning online shops looking for the best prices on electronics, including here smartphones, computers, and smart devices.
The smart TV category itself has become a lot more popular in the last few years, not only because more users want to connect to the Internet and benefit from services like Skype and Netflix, but also thanks to more manufacturers releasing such devices and prices overall going down.
But according to the FBI, buying a smart TV isn’t such an easy thing to do because of the security risks associated with such a product.
Smart TVs, new-generation spies
FBI Oregon explains in a tech post that your “TV manufacturer and app developers may be listening and watching you,” while hackers can use a smart TV to break into your digital home and then get access to other devices like your computer. And if the TV is equipped with microphones and cameras, things are getting worse, the FBI warns.
“Hackers can also take control of your unsecured TV. At the low end of the risk spectrum, they can change channels, play with the volume, and show your kids inappropriate videos. In a worst-case scenario, they can turn on your bedroom TV's camera and microphone and silently cyberstalk you,” the FBI explains.
The department goes on to detail a series of recommendations, such as changing the default security settings, covering the camera with a piece of black tape, and verifying the data collection policies.
For the majority of tech-savvy users, these are more or less common security practices, but for beginners, FBI’s recommendations certainly come in handy. The department ends its post by encouraging users who think they’ve been a victim of a hacker to reach out to the FBI.
Via SlashGear