Samsung Bans Smart TV Apps That Share Users' Internet Connections with Strangers
New security research reveals several popular Samsung smart TV apps contain code that shares users’ internet connections with strangers, potentially exposing millions of devices to hijacking. These apps use residential proxy networks (resproxies), which funnel outsiders' web traffic through home and office internet connections—often linked to cybercrime. Some apps were even endorsed by Samsung in its “Editor’s Choice” section. Samsung has responded by banning such apps, restricting new app registrations with proxy functionalities, and implementing strict policies against residential proxy SDKs. The company is also removing existing apps that contain these components from its store. This follows similar actions taken recently by LG after reports found a significant portion of their smart TV apps used resproxy software. Resproxies are not inherently illegal but have become tools for cybercriminals due to the difficulty in detecting malicious traffic disguised as normal household activity.
Topics: apps data privacy proxy networks smart tv