From CNN:
There was a flaw in some Samsung TVs that allowed hackers to turn on the tv's camera remotely. The hackers could watch some fat chick on the couch eat Bon Bons while she was watching All Star Wrestling (or whatever).
The security company that discovered the flaw won't disclose it to Samsung - unless Samsung pays for the information. This is the business model of how some computer security companies operate. As far as I know, the flaw is not known to the hacker / malware community.
The flaw is tied to the Skype application that runs on the TV.
If you don't connect the TV to the interent, then naturally it can't be exploited.
Most likely, if you turn of uPnP on your modem/router, then again the exploit can't be leveraged.
Yes, but Samsung makes millions of TV sets.
If people could access your living room TV via Skype, they could spy on you from your own TV. For me it wouldn't matter. Who wants to watch me laying on the couch and watching TV for hours on end.
But if you get the right person lying on that couch with his secretary, or get Toronto's Mayor Ford firing up a crack pipe in front of his TV, or even video of the new Royal baby taking a dump in his diaper, that video could be worth a lot of money.
On the other hand, it would be a great way to tell what your baby sitter is doing when you're not home. Or, if you could feed the video to a solid state hard drive so there were no whirring motors or tape transport mechanisms to make noise, you could be recording what happens in your living room whenever you're not using Skype. That way, if your house gets broken into, you've got video of the perps.
I love Samsung's response. Here's a reomte control so channel-changing won't stress your fragile body. But you may want to walk over there anyway to put tape on the camera & unplus the ethernet cable between uses.
A few years ago, the FBI helped a Chamber of Commerce office figure out that a remotely controllable thermostat was exchanging TCP/IP packats with a server in China.
Or you can put a piece of tape over the camera when you aren't using it.
I don't want anyone recording what's on the back of a piece of my tape. It's my tape and no one has the right to record what's on the back of it.
Oh wait, if I know that the camera can be hacked, and I still apply the tape, have I given implied permission to record what's on the back of it?
Now, that gets a body thinking. I'm guessing that the right video of the right person in compromising moment. Could be worth a pile, either as the video goes viral, or the blackmail moneys to prevent it from going viral.
I do approve of keeping an eye on babysitters. Ideally, a parent or close relative is home with the kids. I saw a TV show one time about babysitter cams. The people they featured were ignoring scream kids, smoking in the house, and other abuses.
I also approve of watching the apartment or home when one is away.
. Christ> Yes, but Samsung makes millions of TV sets.
Sez the CNN article linked in OP: " Samsung quickly fixed the problem after security researchers at iSEC Partners informed the company about the bugs. Samsung sent a software update to all affected TVs. "
The security company might be offended that you call them extortionists. Looks like they did disclose enough to fix the issue. Besides, some cameras can be flipped down for privacy so the hacker will get an exciting 720p HD picture of your carpet. The issue of an active mic would still exist though. For those TVs where the camera is fixed, a strategically placed piece of masking tape over the camera/mic will do the trick.
Jesus has got his eye on you mate. No TVcamera needed. So pack in with all that sinning
You're so right. My neighbors sheep will thank you some day.
. Christ>
No, the perps have a video of themselves, though they probably don't realize it.
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