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LG to ban residential proxies from smart TV apps

krebsonsecurity.com

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Re: LG to ban residential proxies from smart TV apps

#191

Post by doikor »

maccard wrote: post #185
delta_p_delta_x wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's Windows Update that's installing LG crapware upon seeing relevant hardware IDs This is also a misrepresentation. Microsoft has provided LG with a certificate to sign its driver packages with, and allows LG to upload packages to Windows Update, which includes a feature to install sidecar applications. Now, the spirit of this feature is that any application is meant to provide genuine configuration functionality…

I agree with you on the precedent > after MS implemented precision touchpads somewhere in 2015, and suddenly Windows touchpads became as precise as those on Macs. There’s still a world of difference between a MacBook touchpad and a windows one. My work laptop (18 month old dell XPS) can’t hold a candle to my 6 year old MacBook’s trackpad. > Likewise with RGB peripherals. Even GPU driver applications have increasingly…

> There’s still a world of difference between a MacBook touchpad and a windows one. My work laptop (18 month old dell XPS) can’t hold a candle to my 6 year old MacBook’s trackpad.

The latest Dell trackpads are quite bad. Price or the product being premium or not unfortunately does not tell you if it will have a good trackpad or not. And it changes over time (Dell XPS used to have really good trackpads)

Basically you have to go to a store and try or find reviews that actually pay attention to this.

Re: LG to ban residential proxies from smart TV apps

#192

Post by charcircuit »

kh2engab wrote: post #82

Is there a (technical) difference between a residential proxy and bot network node?

As they are both distributed systems there will be some inherit underlying similarities, but a botnet has things like antidebug, stealth, privilege escalation, etc. They typically include attack payloads or spying features like taking screenshots, keyloggers and stealing account information. Additionally they may include further ways of spreading to other computers such as messaging people on Discord or using other vulnerabilities. They might also try and take exclusive control of the device by patching security vulnerabilities and uninstalling other malware. Well unless they sell dropper capabilities letting other people deploy malware to the machine.

Re: LG to ban residential proxies from smart TV apps

#193

Post by iso1631 »

12_throw_away wrote: post #67

42% of the apps on LG's platform have these quasi-malware SDKs in them? Seems kinda bad, whether it's due to negligence or just pure incompetence? You'd think there might be legal consequences for a corporation that lets their app store turn into a malware delivery system?

LG's own code is quasi-malware

Re: LG to ban residential proxies from smart TV apps

#194

Post by delta_p_delta_x »

petesergeant wrote: post #180
delta_p_delta_x wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's Windows Update that's installing LG crapware upon seeing relevant hardware IDs This is also a misrepresentation. Microsoft has provided LG with a certificate to sign its driver packages with, and allows LG to upload packages to Windows Update, which includes a feature to install sidecar applications. Now, the spirit of this feature is that any application is meant to provide genuine configuration functionality…

> One can't expect that every driver package submission from every vendor is thoroughly vetted every time, this is a matter of trust and respect. Apple seem to do a pretty decent job of just that

The situation is very different on Macs. Apple control almost the entire hardware stack of the machines that macOS runs on. They make it an absolute pain in the neck to run any application not blessed by attestation. This attestation server is also frequently offline. They've also made it very difficult to write things like filesystem drivers, having completely pulled that functionality from more recent versions of macOS. In fact, if I recall correctly one cannot ship a third-party kext on more recent Macs, especially ARM ones. As such, hackintoshing has basically vanished as a hobby.

At least on Windows, the most you get is a scare screen saying 'this app is from an unidentified developer'. I know what I'd rather have.

Re: LG to ban residential proxies from smart TV apps

#195

Post by iso1631 »

ifh-hn wrote: post #161

My question is how would a user know their TV is being used like this? Also this is the reason you down download random crap onto your devices. I have an LG that is connected on its own network with bare minimal apps (netflix, prime, etc) because it's too convenient for my family. I actually bought it because it didn't display ads on the home screen like the other smart TVs I'd researched. Thought LG was the lesser e…

Only reason LG doesn't have adverts is by forcing it to use a pihole, but even that needs updating -- recently they've managed to push things through and I need to do another investigation to see what needs blocking. Trouble is I only see them when I'm not in the mood to be working, and then forget about them

Re: LG to ban residential proxies from smart TV apps

#196

Post by modo_mario »

mapt wrote: post #123
jmward01 wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is my problem. What can you trust anymore? Is there an appliance out there that can do the basics and not be a malware gateway?

Smart TVs replaced dumb TVs not out of consumer demand, but out of subsidy from commercial databrokers and streaming services. Despite adding $100 of hardware they were priced $100 cheaper.

Is there still any specific brand known for dumb tv's that features the quality and 'non smart' options of the smart variants?

Re: LG to ban residential proxies from smart TV apps

#197

Post by manarth »

s1ncere wrote: post #30

Stop hooking up your LG tv to any network

Want to stream Netflix? Disney+? Hulu?

You need to hook something up to a network, and another device would have similar risks.

Setting up a sandboxed VPC or auditing traffic is beyond the means of the average TV owner.

Re: LG to ban residential proxies from smart TV apps

#198

Post by mastazi »

I am afraid that my dumb TV, which I've been holding onto for many years, might be on its last leg.

I remember seeing privacy guides for smart TVs over the years, does anyone know a place with up to date info?

Most 55inch monitors are now "smart" sadly, so are most "digital signage" products. So there is no longer a way to get a true dumb panel at least over 50 inch

EDIT I am in Australia, there might be products that are available elsewhere but cannot be bought/shipped here

Re: LG to ban residential proxies from smart TV apps

#199

Post by iso1631 »

drnick1 wrote: post #117
ahartmetz wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fine with Linux though :) LG's behavior isn't fine, but their monitors don't install crapware on Linux.

Another win for the Linux security model (software installed and updated manually from vetted repos only).

most of my machines use unnatended-upgrades

Increasingly software is distributed by "curl dodgysite.com/get.sh|sudo bash -", no different to running "install.exe" on windows

Surely Windows Update is a vetted repo as much as arch or debian

Re: LG to ban residential proxies from smart TV apps

#200

Post by iso1631 »

mapt wrote: post #123
jmward01 wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is my problem. What can you trust anymore? Is there an appliance out there that can do the basics and not be a malware gateway?

Smart TVs replaced dumb TVs not out of consumer demand, but out of subsidy from commercial databrokers and streaming services. Despite adding $100 of hardware they were priced $100 cheaper.

Consumers will happily sell their data for a $100 discount. Hell they'll waste 20 minutes watching adverts to save $1.
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