Samsung Flags Popular TV Apps As Security Threat, Advises Immediate Deletion

• Samsung announced plans to remove several Smart TV apps after cybersecurity researchers found they could secretly share users' internet connections with strangers
• A Pac-Man game previously featured in Samsung's Editor's Choice section was among the apps found to contain residential proxy software
• Samsung Smart TV owners are being urged to review their installed apps and remove anything unfamiliar or no longer in use

Samsung has moved to ban a range of Smart TV applications following cybersecurity research that indicated that some of the apps were quietly converting users' home internet connections into tools that outside parties could exploit.

The findings, according to Legit.ng came from Norwegian cybersecurity firm Mnemonic, which discovered that several apps on Samsung's Smart TV platform contained software capable of enrolling users' connections into so-called residential proxy networks.

These networks make internet traffic appear as though it originates from ordinary homes, a feature that cybercriminals, fraudsters, and cyber spies frequently exploit to conceal their activities.

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Samsung's response to the security findings

Samsung confirmed it had already stopped accepting new app submissions that include residential proxy software and is actively working to identify and pull existing offending apps from its store.

"We have already restricted new app registrations that incorporate such proxy functionalities on our Smart TV platform," a Samsung spokesperson said.

"We are currently implementing strict platform-wide developer policies explicitly banning residential proxy SDKs, and we are working to identify and remove all apps currently available in our store that contain these components."

The announcement follows a similar crackdown by LG, which introduced a comparable ban weeks earlier after reports that nearly half of the apps on its smart TV store contained equivalent proxy software.

The Pac-Man App that raised red flags

Among the more unexpected discoveries was a Pac-Man game that Samsung had previously spotlighted in its own "Editor's Choice" section. Researchers found the game contained code from proxy network provider Bright Data.

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Although the software only activated once users accepted a consent prompt, it continued running in the background even after users closed the game, effectively turning their televisions into internet exit nodes.

Mnemonic security consultant Harrison Sand also raised concerns about how app reviews are conducted. Because many Smart TV apps consist of minimal code that simply loads content from external servers, reviewers may only assess what is submitted rather than what ultimately runs on a user's device.

"What was reviewed is not necessarily what is running," Sand said.

He further warned that a single code change hosted on an external server could activate proxy functionality across millions of televisions at once, potentially creating a large-scale botnet capable of supporting serious cyber operations.

During his investigation, Sand also observed network activity consistent with large-scale data scraping, including the collection of LinkedIn profiles and data used to train artificial intelligence models.

What Samsung TV owners should do

Samsung Smart TV owners are advised to go through their installed apps and remove anything that appears unfamiliar or is no longer in regular use, particularly older games and little-known applications.

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Users should also avoid approving permissions without clearly understanding what they allow, ensure their televisions are running the latest firmware, and only download apps from developers they recognise and trust.

Movement TV presenter Bohyeba dies

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the management and staff of Wontumi Media are mourning the reported death of Movement TV presenter Bohyeba following a brief illness.

Bohyeba, who hosted the popular Akwankwaa Nduase programme on Movement TV, reportedly passed away shortly after complaining of a severe headache during a family funeral gathering.

According to reports, the presenter was actively on duty on Friday evening and successfully hosted his programme before leaving the station. Nothing reportedly suggested that it would be his final television appearance.

Source: YEN.com.gh