LG TV shown scanning LAN for third-party phones and other devices
Security researchers showed LG OLED TVs scan local networks and collect nearby device details, raising privacy concerns for TV owners.
Gamers Nexus, working with Level1Techs and security researchers, used packet captures and Wireshark to show that LG TVs, including the $2,500 OLED65G3PUA and the G5 OLED, scan the local network for phones, smartwatches, and other unconnected devices. The TV's firmware can identify the user's IP address, nearby Wi-Fi network names and signal strength, neighboring channel numbers, and internal IP addresses of other devices. LG Ad Solutions marketing claims reach of 363 million 'addressable secondary devices' in the US, and LG says the scanning supports device connectivity and smart home features. It remains unclear whether the collected data is transmitted to LG for purposes beyond advertising.
- Packet captures show LG OLED TVs crawling LANs for phones, smartwatches, and other unconnected devices
- LG Ad Solutions markets access to 363 million addressable secondary devices in the US
- LG says network scanning enables device connectivity, content sharing, and smart home features
- Unclear whether gathered data is sent to LG beyond advertising purposes
- Vendors
- LGLG Ad Solutions
- Organizations
- Gamers NexusLevel1Techs
From the original article
1 min read at arstechnica.com
LG TVs are facing scrutiny due to a video seemingly showing the devices’ capability to track users when the TVs are off. YouTube channel Gamers Nexus worked with Level1Techs, a technology-focused YouTube channel, and security researchers to analyze LG TVs’ tracking capabilities. They shared packet captures that pointed to the TVs, including LG’s pricey G5 OLED TV, scanning the LAN for other devices.
By Bender · arstechnica.com
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