Samsung says its TV sets should be "regularly checked for viruses"

Rob Beschizza 12:09 pm Mon Jun 17, 2019

The easiest way to secure shoddy internet-of-things gadgets like TV sets and cameras? Make it the consumer's problem.

Samsung has advised owners of its latest TVs to run regular virus scans. A how-to video on the Samsung Support USA Twitter account demonstrates the more than a dozen remote-control button presses required to access the sub-menu needed to activate the check. It suggested users should carry out the process "every few weeks" to "prevent malicious software attacks".

Think it's a ridiculous idea that you should have to run antimalware scans on your television? Want to feel the bottom fall out? Sure you do! Get this: the announcement is a covert advertisement for the custom McAfee bloatware antivirus app installed on the sets.

McAfee extended its contract to have McAfee Security for TV technology pre-installed on all Samsung Smart TVs produced in 2019. Along with being the market leader in the Smart TV category worldwide, Samsung is also the first company to pre-install security on these devices, underscoring its commitment to building security in from the start. McAfee Security for TV scans the apps that run on Samsung smart TVs to identify and remove malware.

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