With the holiday craze and sale on malls online, the FBI wants to warn shoppers to be known details regarding purchasing a smart TV.
Smart TVs defined
Smart TVs are internet-connected television sets. However, this internet connection makes Smart TVs prone to attacks by hackers and be vulnerable to security. Smart TVs also have built-in cameras and microphones.
"Beyond the risk that your TV manufacturer and app developers may be listening and watching you, that television can also be a gateway for hackers to come into your home. A bad cyber actor may not be able to access your locked-down computer directly, but it is possible that your unsecured TV can give him or her an easy way in the backdoor through your router," wrote the FBI.
Unsecured smart TV users can be vulnerable to hackers with the possibility of controlling the camera and microphone.
Smart TV attacks
It is considered rare to have hacking of smart TVs. However, with the different security protocols of each manufacturer, there are some smart TVs that have a higher rate of vulnerability than others. It has been reported that Google's Chromecast can be hijacked by hackers.
Wikileaks published that the Central Intelligence Agency has developed strategies on how to target smart TVs.
Greater Concerns to Smart TV users
Despite the warnings of the FBI, smart TV owners should be more concerned about the amount of data is being tracked by smart TVs.
Smart TV makers such as Samsung and LG have been found out to gather data regarding what TV users watch for better targeting of ads, according to Washington Post.
"Vizio paid $2.2 million to settle claims by the Federal Trade Commission and the state of New Jersey that it was collecting and selling viewing data from millions of smart TVs without the knowledge or consent of set owners," according to NY Times.
Data Tracking
The past few years have prompted internet data companies to develop technology on what people watch on TV and utilize that data to send personalized ads to their smart TVs and other devices. With this, marketers were prompted to jump on this practice to present their products to people. However, regulators and privacy advocates scrutinized these companies on the extent of their data gathering system.
One of these companies is Samba TV that obtains data to provide more personalized ads. New York Times reports that "the company said it collected viewing data from 13.5 million smart TVs in the United States, and it has raised $40 million in venture funding from investors including Time Warner, the cable operator Liberty Global and the billionaire Mark Cuban."
How Users Can Protect Themselves
Users should regularly update their smart TV with software upgrades, understand the Smart TV's privacy policy, and even placing black tape over an unused smart TV camera, as recommended by the FBI.
Users should learn how to protect themselves from privacy intrusion by cyber hackers through unsecured smart TVs and be warier on their usage of their devices.
