Publications
Partners
Cape Town – Your new Samsung Smart TV can be made to watch you while you're watching television, with the TV viewer unaware that they're being spied on.
Samsung tells Channel24 that they're aware of the issue and have released a security update to resolve the issue.
CBS News reported that hackers can now watch you while you're watching TV if you have a new Samsung Smart TV, with the viewer unaware that they're being watched. This happens due to the fact that the new Samsung Smart TV is equipped with a built-in camera so that users can use the Skype functionality.
Hackers however found a way to turn the camera on its owner and watch them whilst remaining undetected.
"They [hackers] can see live what is happening in front of the television or take still camera shots of you," one of the researchers, who demonstrated the ability to hack into the Samsung Smart TV, said about potential hackers who are able to exploit vulnerabilities in the smart TV set.
"There's no physical indicator or any visual indicator while hackers use your TV camera to look at you, that you'd be able to know your camera was on or that someone is taking pictures of you," one of the researchers told CBS News.
Software update
The shocking way in which a Samsung Smart TV can be used to spy on people was demonstrated on Friday during a demonstration in Las Vegas, when researchers, in front of an audience of children at Defcon Kids, showed how a Samsung Smart TV can secretly be turned on the TV viewer themselves through malicious code inserted into apps which comes with the TV set.
In a statement Samsung South Africa says Samsung "takes all concerns regarding consumer privacy and information security very seriously and is aware of the security issue regarding Smart TV".
Samsung says it has released a software update "to reslove the issue and will take every possible measure to vigorously enhance the security level on Samsung Smart TV and protect its customers' privacy".
Samsung says "Samsung Smart TV software is automatically upgraded" and that users can check whether they have the latest software by accessing their Smart TV settings.
Samsung tells Channel24 that they're aware of the issue and have released a security update to resolve the issue.
CBS News reported that hackers can now watch you while you're watching TV if you have a new Samsung Smart TV, with the viewer unaware that they're being watched. This happens due to the fact that the new Samsung Smart TV is equipped with a built-in camera so that users can use the Skype functionality.
Hackers however found a way to turn the camera on its owner and watch them whilst remaining undetected.
"They [hackers] can see live what is happening in front of the television or take still camera shots of you," one of the researchers, who demonstrated the ability to hack into the Samsung Smart TV, said about potential hackers who are able to exploit vulnerabilities in the smart TV set.
"There's no physical indicator or any visual indicator while hackers use your TV camera to look at you, that you'd be able to know your camera was on or that someone is taking pictures of you," one of the researchers told CBS News.
Software update
The shocking way in which a Samsung Smart TV can be used to spy on people was demonstrated on Friday during a demonstration in Las Vegas, when researchers, in front of an audience of children at Defcon Kids, showed how a Samsung Smart TV can secretly be turned on the TV viewer themselves through malicious code inserted into apps which comes with the TV set.
In a statement Samsung South Africa says Samsung "takes all concerns regarding consumer privacy and information security very seriously and is aware of the security issue regarding Smart TV".
Samsung says it has released a software update "to reslove the issue and will take every possible measure to vigorously enhance the security level on Samsung Smart TV and protect its customers' privacy".
Samsung says "Samsung Smart TV software is automatically upgraded" and that users can check whether they have the latest software by accessing their Smart TV settings.
