You’re making a huge TV mistake that could cost you – check your telly today
MILLIONS of TV owners have been warned that they could be in danger.
Unless you’re updating your TV regularly, you may be at risk of hack attacks.
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The same is true for all “smart” gadgets in the home, cyber experts have told The Sun.
“We don’t tend to think of smart home devices such as TVs or home assistants like Alexa as cyber threats, but this is wrong,” said Jamie Akhtar, CEO of CyberSmart.
“As these devices connect to the internet, they’re another entry point into your home for cybercriminals.
Increasingly, the gadgets and appliances you buy at home are “smart”.
And the fact that many of these household objects connect to the internet can cause chaos.
Even if you update regularly, tech companies can “abandon” certain products after just a few years.
So it’s important to ensure your home gadgets are still receiving updates.
Jamie told The Sun: “Always ensure that your tech is running the latest updates.
“Manufacturers release these updates or patches to close any security holes in the device’s software.
“If left unpatched, these flaws can give cybercriminals an easy way to take over your devices.
“Second, ensure your home network (that the device connects to) is secure. Always use a firewall and antivirus software as these will stop most attacks at source.
“Finally, be careful about any additional software or applications you download to your devices.
“Cybercriminals have been known to use games and other applications to spread malware to users’ devices.
“Always download apps or games from reputable sources like Apple or Android web stores.”
That’s not all.
If you do buy a new TV – or any other smart device – you need to check the settings right away.
Otherwise you could be putting yourself at unnecessary risk.
Speaking to The Sun, Javvad Malik, lead security awareness advocate at KnowBe4, revealed exactly why it’s so serious.
“One of the most important things to do once you’ve purchased a smart device such as a smart TV, is to change the default password on it,” Javvad told us.
“As this is one of the most common ways criminals will access your device.
“Where possible, enable 2-factor authentication, so that to log onto it, you don’t just need your password, but also a second code, usually one that is sent to your phone via SMS or an app.”
And there’s one simple solution that is absolutely worth considering.
Do you really need a “smart” kettle or toaster, when a regular one will do?
Every time you add a connected device to your home, you’re increasing the risk of a hacker breaking in to your networks.
“People should consider whether the device they have actually needs to be connected to the internet at all,” Javvad revealed.
“Many times, the internet connection is for novelty features.
“By not connecting devices unnecessarily, you can minimise the digital footprint criminals can access.”
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