Android Ransomware Taints High-Profile Television from LG Company

A ransomware malicious program tainting a TV shouldn't take anyone by surprise as it has already been observed that such attacks easily hijack Android-based televisions.

Lately, Darren Cauthon software engineer showed how an LG smart television got contaminated with ransomware December 25th, 2016. Bleepingcomputer.com posted this, December 28, 2016.

A post on Twitter by Darren Cauthon tells that an LG smart television that he owned was operating Google TV when malware contaminated the latter as a member of his family attempted at loading one movie-streaming app. Cauthon posted one photo too which appeared as some ransomware that made it necessary for him to make a payment for restoring the device's access.

As known, the contaminated television belongs to the set of ultimate generations of LG's high-profile televisions which had Google TV running, a high-profile television platform which Google in association with Logitech, Sony and Intel had developed.

Because the ransomware was not essentially created for televisions, however, to inflict Android's smart-phones and tablets, it is currently wholly bricked while there doesn't appear to be any solution for reinstating it. What's more, restarting the device obviously brings back the ransom message while no alternative options are provided considering the small amount of input on any television set.

Cauthon reported he attempted at configuring his television to factory configurations; however, the re-configuration process obtainable from the Internet did not work. On contacting LG, he was suggested visiting the company's service center.

Cauthon was angered as reconfiguration processes of the factory should not be secret. Further, visiting the service center would cost $340 expenditure. The ransomware attack sought a $500 from Cauthon for unlocking his television.

Ransom software designed for TVs apparently causes more worries, partly because removing the malware can be hard, thus cautioned Trend Micro a security company earlier during 2016. Observing that danger occurring within the wild seemingly validates those apprehensions, it isn't merely since conventional Android workarounds couldn't resolve the issue, argues Cauthon.

Google is experimenting for Android TV, same as Google TV, which implies Android malicious programs continue to be one genuine threat facing greater part of the trading zone of smart televisions.

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