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Does Your ‘Smart TV’ Know Too Much About You?

Is your TV invading your privacy? As ‘smart TV‘ becomes ever more popular, government and private parties try ever harder to exploit it to spy on viewers. If you;re not careful, your privacy could be at risk.

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Last year, a malware app called ‘Weeping Angel” targeted Samsung smart TV sets with a ‘fake off’ mode. To their owners, the TVs appeared to be off, but they were actually listening to users and recording their conversations.

With their embedded computers and microphones, these advanced TV sets are effective spy tools, so much so that the CIA has created and deployed means for transforming them into listening posts. And Wikileaks, Julian Assange’s platform for publication of stolen documents, has published detailed descriptions of viruses designed for hacking of such TV sets. MI5, Britain’s internal intelligence service, is even alleged to have helped  in designing some of the viruses.

Should you be worried about this?

Experts in cyber-security say most people don’t need to worry about hacking of their TV sets.

Most forms of malware are meant for mass surveillance. The tools designed for hacking TV sets, though, are too difficult to use to be of much value to the casual hacker. Hence, they are typically reserved for targeting individuals. Unless you suspect that you have attracted the attention of professional spies, then, you probably don’t need to worry that your TV set will be used against you.

How can you protect yourself?

If you’re still worried that your smart TV set or other devices could be used against you, a few precautions will help.

First, avoid buying electronic devices from manufacturers known to be casual about online security. And if you don’t really need networked features, avoid buying devices which include them.

Alas, protecting your privacy may require sacrificing certain conveniences. These may include voice activation, or even your TV’s web connection. You can usually find these features on your device’s ‘settings’ menu.

To be absolutely sure the device can’t spy on you, you’ll need to disconnect it from the electrical grid. If the device is battery-powered, you may need to remove the batteries.

Should you avoid ‘smart TV’ altogether?

Be realistic about this. No matter how careful you are, privacy protection in a smart TV will never be absolute. The methods we’ve mentioned here can keep your electronic devices from recording or transmitting your conversations, but your smart TV could still track your viewing history. Advertisers pay heavily for this data, and ability to collect it is built into the device’s software.

For this, the only known solution is not to buy a smart TV in the first place..

 

(For the most reliable internet connection, contact Satellite Country. We can help.)

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AVOID GETTING HACKED

Was it the Russians?

We learned last week that someone hacked Democratic National Committee servers, then leaked embarrassing e-mail to WikiLeaks. The ensuing media firestorm had DNC officials on the defensive, and intensified friction between the Sanders and Clinton camps. The DNC blamed the Russians for the breach, though evidence of their involvement is meager and circumstantial.

You might believe this has nothing to do with you. Since you don’t have to worry about international spy rings, you don’t need to concern yourself with cybersecurity. Right?

It would be dangerous to assume that you’re safe. Governments, including our own, could turn their attention to you if they think you have information they need. Corporate interests, criminal gangs, and individuals might spy on you for the same reason. If you work for a company with valuable intellectual property, you face a higher likelihood of becoming a target. How, then, can you avoid being victimized by hackers?

Protecting your computer files begins with educating yourself. According to CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm, the DNC breach was a case of ‘spear-phishing’. Spear-phishers exploit familiarity with their victims. These hackers know at least a little about their intended victims. It may be their names, e-mail addresses, or references to social events, friends, or family members. The spear-phisher pretends to be someone his intended victim knows.

Spear-phishing e-mail comes from forged (‘spoofed’) addresses, and appears to be from someone the intended victim knows. For example, it may seem to be from a colleague or a supervisor.

Spear-phishing attacks can be difficult to avoid because they appear to come from trusted sources. Successful spear-phishers usually begin with ‘social  engineering’. This is research of the victim’s social media profiles and online activity. The ‘social engineer’ attempts to learn as much as possible about the victim, his friends, and his employer.

How, then, can you avoid falling prey to such attacks? First, monitor your online activity. Take an especially close look at your presence on social media. Are you giving too much information away? Does the world at large need to know your cat’s name, where your mother lives, or all the awards you won in elementary school? Visit TakeThisLollipop.com to track how much you’re sharing. It may make your hair stand on end.

Second, think before responding to e-mail. If someone you know sends a message that’s out of character, be suspicious. Be especially careful with requests for urgent response or wire transfers of money.  If you’re unsure, call or text the apparent source for confirmation. Avoid downloading attachments to messages you weren’t expecting.

Finally, ask your employer to do more. Businesses can block e-mail from unfamiliar sources with authentication software. ValiMail is one e-mail security firm that enables organizations to control who sends e-mail under their names.

With a few simple precautions, you can avoid hacking of your e-mail. Stay alert, and your files should be secure.

And avoid getting close to Vladimir Putin. He’s a rascal.