If you own an LG smart TV, you'll want to make sure it's running the latest software update. Researchers have uncovered a set of security vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to completely take control of tens of thousands of LG's internet-connected televisions. The flaws, revealed this week by cybersecurity firm Bitdefender, impact WebOS versions 4 through 7 - the operating system that powers LG's smart TV lineup. With an estimated 91,000 vulnerable devices worldwide, the issues represent a serious risk to owners. By exploiting the bugs, a hacker could bypass authentication, create new user accounts on the TV, elevate privileges to gain root access, and essentially seize full control. From there, they could spy through the camera and microphone, inject malware, conscript the device into a botnet, or leverage it for cryptocurrency mining. Even more worrying, a successful attack might open the door to further systems connected to the TV, like email accounts, online banking portals, and more - potentially exposing a trove of personal and financial data. From Bitdefender's vulnerability map, it looks like several hundred of the affected devices are located in India. But the majority are concentrated in LG's home country of South Korea. Thankfully, LG has already released a patch to address the issues as part of its March 22 update. Most smart TVs should have automatically installed the fix, but owners can manually check by going to Settings > Support > Software Update and selecting "Check for Updates." If an update is available, simply download and install it.
