The 10 signs your TV is hacked and may be ‘spying’ on you – and first is eerie pop-up

IT’S easy to forget that your TV can be hacked just like a smartphone or computer – with dangerous consequences.

Cyber-experts are warning over the dangers of smart TVs, and reveal the worrying signs that your television has been hijacked by criminals.

1

Smart TVs are now extremely common and are generally used by their owners every day.

But they typically connect directly to Wi-Fi routers, which manages all of your internet traffic and links to your other devices.

So making sure your TV isn’t a weak point in your home is extremely important.

“Surprisingly, smart TVs can get hacked just like any other Internet of Things (IoT) device that connects to the internet,” explained Keeper Security’s Tim Tran.

“Cybercriminals can hack your smart TV to spy on you or infect other devices on the same network.

“You need to secure your smart TV to protect it from hackers.”

How does a TV get hacked?

Your TV can be hacked in many different ways.

For a start, your TV might have security vulnerabilities – just like any other device.

And like other gadgets, your TV will receive regular updates closing these security holes.

You need to check to make sure that you’re updating your TV in the settings manually – or that automatic updates are turned on.

Another way your TV can get hacked is when you download a malicious app.

You might be tricked into installing dangerous apps that hijack your TV.

Similarly, you might plug in a device like a USB stick loaded with content.

If this also contains malware, that can end up on your TV.

Finally, if your Wi-Fi network isn’t secure, hackers can also break into your TV that way.

Full list of warning signs

Keeper Security’s official list of warning signs is as follows:

• Strange or excessive pop-up windows or ads
• Unfamiliar to your privacy and security settings
• Lagging, freezing, or unresponsive TV
• Unfamiliar accounts linked to your TV
• TV randomly switching channels
• TV randomly turning on and off
• New apps and files on TV that you don’t recognize
• Excessive data usage linked to your TV
• Your smart TV’s camera (if it has one) is always switched on
• The TV having a black screen but it’s still switched on

Some of these signs aren’t guarantees that your TV is hacked.

However, if you notice one or more then it’s worth investigating – as there may be some other issue causing these problems.

This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk