Ransomware also takes advantage of the Internet insecurity of things, now attacks the Smart TV

Ransomware is increasingly becoming one of the biggest network security threats. Although malware infections have been plummeting, malware-related infections are on the rise. This type of attacks usually restrict the user’s use of the system and ask for a rescue to free the files or equipment hijacked, and not only limited to your computer or smartphone.

Recently an incident was reported in which a LG Smart TV was infected by what looked like a version of ransomware Cyber. Police, also known as FLocker. The malicious program asked the owner for $ 500 to unlock the TV. Apparently the infection occurred when a family member downloaded an app to watch a movie.

Just on Christmas day, engineer Darren Cauthon shared a picture of how his family’s television had been completely unusable thanks to the attack. LG Smart TV uses Google TV, and when Cauthon tried to reset it to the factory settings the process did not work. Although initially LG’s service was going to charge $ 340 for the repair (barely 160 less than the ransomware), in the end the company gave “secret” instructions to remove the malicious program, and the user recorded a video of the process to Future victims.

FLocker is a known ransomware that was detected for the first time in 2015, since then it deceives its victims through SMS spam campaigns by sharing malicious links. By April 2016 security experts have detected more than 1200 variants of malware.

The Internet insecurity of things is not something new. More and more devices are becoming “smart”, from the thermostat to the baby monitors. Almost all of these devices suffer from the same evil: they have outdated software or little security and are too vulnerable to attacks. Not for nothing were the weapon used last October to carry out one of the largest massive DDoS attacks in history.