What Samsung Is Doing to Keep Your Smart TV Secure

Today, more and more TVs are connected to the internet than ever before. In fact, Samsung Electronics intends for that all of its TVs and products to be web-connected by 2020. To make that a reality, Samsung is working to protect these devices and their users’ personal information. Samsung Smart TVs provide security features designed to help protect users’ information for those who are in the market for a Smart TV.

At Samsung, security is a top priority.  We are the first Smart TV manufacturer certified by the International Security Standard Common Criteria (CC) for two consecutive years. Much like a bank uses multiple levels of security (camera, vaults and security guards) to protect your valuables, Samsung Smart TVs feature a “Three Stage Model Security Solution” to provide layers of protection for consumers. The solution works by embedding security features during three different stages involving the platform, application and hardware.

Platform Stage

In the initial Platform security stage, Samsung Smart TVs are designed to encrypt certain data – such as user account and password data – before it is stored. Subsequently, a standardized encryption process is deployed to protect the data when communicating with external servers to help prevent attackers from stealing your data. Also, the Smart TV seeks to detect and block malicious applications and unauthorized files attempting to access the device, helping to preserve stable operational environments for the Smart TV.

To dive into detail, when connecting with a server, Samsung’s Smart TV first looks to verify the authenticity of the certificate transmitted by the server. Then, it creates encryption keys that are used for communication with the server. During exchanges with servers, communicated content is encrypted in order to help protect the confidentiality and integrity of user data from threats of unauthorized access and data modification.

Samsung Smart TV platform is designed to detect and block various attacks that threaten the operational environment of the TV. Utilizing the Platform security technology, stable software operating environments are provided where a variety of Smart TV services can run in a more secure manner – attempting to block certain unauthorized codes from accessing the TV and from attacking vulnerable spots within the platform.

Additionally, Samsung Smart TVs utilize the protected virtual keyboard and number pad, “Secure Keyboard,” in an effort to protect users’ personal information such as credit card numbers and passwords.

Application Stage

Next, at the application stage, Samsung Smart TVs leverage anti-malware engines to help prevent external intruders from attacking your network. This stage is designed to block many phishing sites on the web from accessing devices and detect infections from certain malicious codes.

In specific, Samsung’s Smart TVs use security features on their Web Browser, along with the Smart security feature to safeguard internet-based services on TVs. The Samsung Smart TV Web Browser has a security feature that creates a pop-up alert when the user clicks on certain suspicious web sites. By prompting the user to proceed or reject the pop-up, this can help to prevent personal information from being leaked through covert phishing or malicious web sites.

In an effort to detect and prevent malicious software (malware) from attempting to sneak into the TV system and cause damage, Samsung’s Smart TVs utilize the anti-malware vaccine engine which seeks to prevent harmful codes from running, and monitors the system and analyzes information linked to malicious files. In addition, Network Protection works to obstruct malicious external attacks that could penetrate user’s networks.

To add an even further, dual-layer of protection, Samsung also recently introduced the enhanced security application “McAfee Security for TV” to its Smart TVs which once activated monitors for malicious software.

Hardware Stage

Finally, through the Hardware security stage, Samsung’s Smart TV offers an additional security solution based on chip architecture which is designed to prevent data from being leaked by separating the physical space in the hardware for the core software to operate in. Also, through the process of authentication based on hardware, Samsung Smart TVs are only operated with a Tizen platform. Secure technology, with a strong foundation at the hardware level promotes the stability of the Smart TV platform and applications.

Samsung understands that security and trust are critical to the adoption of Smart TVs and that trust depends on safe and secure connections. The next TV you buy will very likely be a Smart TV, and Three-Stage Model Security Solution is just one way that Samsung is working to safeguard user information and drive the adoption of Smart TVs.