The acting head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the agency was assessing the cyber risk of smart TVs sold by the Chinese electronics giant TCL, following reports that the devices may give the company “back door” access to deployed sets.
While many organizations think the notion of keyboards, monitors and other hardware “spying” on them as the stuff of “James Bond” movies, Yossi Appleboum of Sepio Systems says that the threat is real – and much more common that either companies or consumers are aware.
A report by independent researchers warns that TCL brand Android smart TVs contained serious and exploitable security holes. It also raises questions about the China-based electronics firm’s ability to remotely access and control deployed devices.
China has used offensive cyber capabilities to propel domestic industry and suppress opposition at home and abroad. As China seeks independence from Western interests, the role of cyber is likely to increase, a report from IntSights finds.
COVID-19 has created a perfect storm for cybercriminals and nation-state hackers from China and elsewhere, according to research released Tuesday from VMWare and Carbon Black.
