Samsung SmartTV security flaw revealed

Seems, Samsung's SmartTVs are not smart enough on security front. Malta-based research company ReVuln has found a security hole in Samsung's SmartTVs, which allows hackers to watch and hear conversations of the people in the television's surroundings using the product's camera and mic. Not only this, the gaping security flaw allows hackers to access all files in any connected USB drive, browse the web, change channels or make video calls. 

ReVuln has uploaded a video, named 'The TV is Watching You', showing how it exploited the security loophole in a Samsung SmartTV to compromise the product. The company has said it has not informed the South Korean manufacturer of the issues in its range of SmartTVs. 
Luigi Auriemma of ReVuln told Computer World, "If the attacker has full control of the TV... then he can do everything like stealing accounts to the worst scenario of using the integrated webcam and microphone to 'watch' the victim." He also said that this issue plagues several models across multiple generations, not just the television tested at his company's labs 

In response, Samsung later told IBTimes UK, "We have discovered that only in extremely unusual circumstances a connectivity issue arises between Samsung SmartTVs released in 2011 and other connected devices. We assure our customers that our SmartTVs are safe to use. We will release a previously scheduled software patch in January 2013 to further strengthen SmartTV security." 

Recently, a developer found another gaping hole in the security of devices like Samsung Galaxy S III, Note II and S II. By exploiting this weakness, a hacker could gain total control of these smartphones. The issue is yet to be fixed by the manufacturer.