LG smart televisions are facing fresh privacy concerns after a Gamers Nexus investigation reported that several tested retail models could identify devices on a local network and capture microphone audio while the display appeared to be in standby.
The investigation was conducted with Level1Techs and independent security researchers, who examined retail LG OLED televisions including the G5 and used network packet captures to study their behaviour.
Their testing indicated that the televisions could discover other hardware connected to the same network and collect information about nearby wireless networks. Researchers also reported that audio captured during testing could remain stored on the television after its internet connection was removed, before being uploaded when connectivity returned.
The findings raise separate questions about LG's advertising and content-recognition systems, as well as security vulnerabilities identified in webOS.
LG had not publicly responded specifically to the September investigation at the time of reporting, although the company had previously said its TVs do not collect, record or store ambient conversations and that voice recognition is optional and user-initiated.
LG Smart TVs Scan Networks and Collect Viewing Data
One of the investigation's main findings concerned what the television was doing beyond displaying programmes and streaming services. According to the researchers, packet captures taken with Wireshark showed tested LG sets probing the local network for other connected hardware.
The devices identified during testing were not limited to LG products. Researchers reported finding phones, smartwatches and other equipment, while the television also collected internal network information. They said the sets could additionally gather names and signal information associated with Wi-Fi networks within range.
That behaviour is separate from Automated Content Recognition, or ACR, which has been used by smart televisions to identify content being watched.
ACR can analyse samples from television content and create digital fingerprints that help determine what is being viewed. LG Ad Solutions says its ACR technology provides viewing data across linear TV and over-the-top or streaming content displayed on LG Smart TVs.
LG's advertising business also promotes advertising products based on connected-TV viewing data and cross-device audiences. LG Ad Solutions currently says it has 216 million global LG Smart TVs and promotes cross-device advertising capabilities.
The combination of television viewing information and network-level device discovery raises additional privacy questions. However, the researchers' findings should not be treated as proof that every LG television behaves identically, since the testing involved particular retail models and configurations.
Standby Audio And WebOS Security Raise New Questions
One of the most notable findings from the testing involved audio. Researchers said they were able to capture microphone input from tested LG television hardware while the screen appeared to be switched off or in standby.
They then disconnected the television from its network connection. According to the testing, audio data continued to be stored locally rather than immediately disappearing when internet access was removed. When the connection was restored, the researchers observed the stored data being transmitted.
The investigation also examined audio capture through a connected USB webcam, demonstrating another potential audio source that could be accessed under the tested conditions.
Researchers also reported identifying webOS security vulnerabilities, including issues they said could potentially enable remote code execution under certain conditions. Those vulnerabilities were being handled through responsible disclosure, meaning technical details had not been fully released while the disclosure process was under way.
That distinction matters because the existence of a vulnerability does not mean an attacker has accessed a particular television. Instead, it indicates a potential security risk that could become more serious if the underlying software weakness were exploited.
For owners concerned about the findings, the researchers recommended disconnecting the television from the internet and using an external streaming device instead.
Disconnecting Ethernet and disabling Wi-Fi prevents the television from communicating online, although network disconnection does not necessarily erase information that may already be stored locally.
The investigation therefore raises two separate issues: what data an internet-connected television collects as part of its documented features and what additional exposure could result from software vulnerabilities.
Those questions are likely to remain under scrutiny as researchers continue examining LG's webOS platform and the company responds to the reported findings.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What privacy concerns are associated with LG Smart TVs?LG Smart TVs have been reported to identify devices on a local network, capture microphone audio, and store data even when disconnected from the internet.
- What did the investigation reveal about LG Smart TVs?The investigation revealed that LG Smart TVs could discover other hardware on the same network, collect information about nearby wireless networks, and store audio data locally.
- How can LG Smart TV owners protect their privacy?Owners can disconnect the TV from the internet and use an external streaming device to prevent online communication.
- What is Automated Content Recognition (ACR) in LG Smart TVs?ACR is a technology used by smart TVs to identify content being watched by analyzing samples and creating digital fingerprints.
- What are the security vulnerabilities found in LG Smart TVs?The investigation identified webOS security vulnerabilities that could potentially enable remote code execution under certain conditions.
