Is your LG smart tv safe from online hijackers?

Security bugs in thousands of LG devices could provide an easy gateway for hackers to take over...

Recent discoveries have found several vulnerabilities in tens of thousands of LG smart TVs allowing online perpetrators to access their operating system, to make sure that you don't fall prey to this type of cyberattack you must update your device to the latest patch released by LG as part of their latest software update. Bitdefender said "The bugs — three of which carry a 9.1 out 10 severity rating — center on LG WebOS, the software that comes on most LG TVs. The vulnerabilities affect WebOS versions 4 through 7". 

Each of these vulnerabilities attacks different sections, one of them affecting the LG ThinkQ smartphone app which can be used to control the TV from your mobile device. In order to connect the app and provide remote access, the user needs to enter a PIN code into the display on the TV screen, this allows both devices to be fully connected, the vulnerability allows hackers to bypass this step and create a "privilege user profile" which grants access unlimited access to the network.

“We can request the creation of an account with no permissions, which will be automatically granted. Having created a privileged account without user interaction, we now have access to a large attack surface that was inaccessible before.” Bitdefender said. They also noted that around 7,000 devices in the US alone are vulnerable however the majority of the impacted devices came from South Korea, Hong Kong, and Sweden.

In cases like this, it's not just about your TV getting hacked it goes way deeper than that. This could pose a threat to your entire network and it can give cyber attackers access to your personal data such as email address, full account access, and ultimately your financial information. You could also end up getting your devices linked to a crypto-mining operation.

If you feel that you have been a victim of a cyberattack or would like to know more information on how to keep your devices and information protected, feel free to reach out to us for a FREE consultation.