Major TV manufacturers have discovered a serious security problem hiding in plain sight across their platforms. Smart televisions running webOS, Tizen, and other operating systems have been silently enlisted into botnet networks without their owners’ knowledge. LG and Samsung recently announced they will remove affected applications from their app stores, but the scope of the problem is far larger than many shoppers realize.
How Your TV Became an Unwitting Tool
The issue centers on a feature called “residential proxies” or “reproxies.” This technology allows apps to route internet traffic through your TV to make requests appear as if they originated from your device. While the feature has legitimate uses in testing and advertising, bad actors have weaponized it to create networks of millions of compromised TVs.
These botnet networks were used for multiple malicious purposes: scraping website data to train artificial intelligence systems, bypassing security protections at data centers, and potentially coordinating cyberattacks. Because each TV has a unique internet address, attackers could make their activities look like genuine user traffic coming from different locations. The worst part is that your TV could be doing this work without any obvious signs. The proxy features operated in the background, even when the apps weren’t open.
How Widespread Is the Problem?
Security researchers have uncovered staggering infection rates. One major finding shows that over 42 percent of applications on LG webOS platforms contained this malicious code. For Samsung Tizen smart TVs, the number was slightly lower at around 26.5 percent, but still represents millions of affected devices. The discovery gained public attention in April when researchers identified a popular Pac-Man game designed for children that carried botnet functionality, even though it was promoted as an Editor’s Choice by one major manufacturer.
The infected applications include everyday entertainment apps that millions of people have installed on their televisions. Some developers may not have intentionally added this code; third-party software development kits included the reproxy feature without clearly flagging it. This lack of transparency made it difficult for developers to know what they were shipping to consumers.
What Manufacturers Are Doing Now
LG announced it is working directly with app developers to remove the residential proxy functionality from their applications. The company plans to suspend any apps that fail to comply with this requirement. Samsung has taken a more aggressive approach by restricting new app registrations and actively identifying and removing applications that contain these components from its app store.
Amazon, Roku, and Google TV have already banned the known botnet app IPIDEA and restricted access to the newer Bright Data network. These actions represent a coordinated industry effort to clean up their platforms, but significant questions remain about whether all affected applications have been identified and removed.
What Should Shoppers Do Right Now
If you own a smart TV from any major manufacturer, take these practical steps. First, check your installed apps and remove any that you do not actively use. Second, review your TV’s app store and avoid downloading games and utilities from unfamiliar developers. When shopping for a new television, research the manufacturer’s security track record and commitment to app store oversight.
Consider whether you need all the smart features your TV provides. Many security-conscious users treat their smart TVs as simple displays and route all streaming content through external devices like media boxes or gaming consoles instead. This approach isolates your viewing experience from potential vulnerabilities in the television’s built-in systems.
When comparing the best smart TVs for every budget, pay attention to brand announcements about security practices and app store moderation. Look for manufacturers that clearly communicate how they vet applications and respond to security threats. If you are interested in high-performance options, the best OLED TVs from reputable makers now include updated security policies following this incident.
The Bigger Picture
This botnet discovery highlights a fundamental problem with smart televisions: they operate more like computers than traditional electronics, but often lack the security infrastructure we expect from our devices. As smart TVs become increasingly connected and feature-rich, they become increasingly attractive targets for cybercriminals.
The fact that malicious code remained embedded in millions of devices for months after initial discovery raises concerns about how thoroughly manufacturers police their app stores. Moving forward, shoppers should maintain healthy skepticism about smart TV features and regularly review what permissions and access they have granted to their devices. The incident serves as a reminder that convenience and connectivity come with real security tradeoffs that consumers should carefully consider before purchasing their next television.
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