According to research from Kaspersky Lab, Samsung’s custom OS Tizen could have as many as 40 new vulnerabilities.
Smart devices are increasingly permeating everything we do: whether it’s watching TV, exercising or just driving through a city, there is likely to be at least one device gathering data nearby.
Tizen, the operating system which Samsung use for all of their Smart TV’s, Smartwatches, some Smartphones and other traditional “dumb” household appliances, is found to be a weak link in that data chain.
Mark James, ESET IT Security Specialist, discusses the potential implications of being surrounded by Smart Devices and what you can actually do to reduce risk.
“One of the biggest problems with technology is the speed at which it progresses, and televisions are no different.
“One minute the whole family is sat watching primates with Sir David Attenborough on one of your only 5 channels, the next you have a choice of over 240 channels, radio stations, on-demand streaming and more.
“Next your TV is capable of viewing all your social media accounts, internet surfing or playing games, all requiring intelligence and internet connectivity, but more importantly access to your private data.
“In our quest for the “Smart TV” more is better, we often do not question how or where our data will be stored or sent and most would never look at how often the actual TV operating system or apps are going to be updated but that’s exactly what cyber criminals will do.
“They are looking for every new and unrestricted way they can find exploits and vulnerabilities on our new technologies, one of the only ways to stop them is having the ability to patch or update as fast and as easily as possible.
“The only defence is to ensure that all of your internet connected devices are updated on a regular basis. If you cannot update then you should ask yourself ‘do I really need it connected to the internet?’ and if no, then disconnect it.”
Have you been affected by the Samsung’s custom OS Tizen vulnerabilities? Let us know on Twitter @ESETUK.
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