LG to Purge Smart TV Apps That Secretly Turn Sets Into Proxy Nodes
LG Electronics USA says it will start pulling and suspending webOS apps that convert customers' smart TVs into residential proxy exit points without their knowledge. A residential proxy setup lets outside parties funnel their own internet traffic through someone else's device and home IP address, effectively disguising the traffic's true origin behind an ordinary consumer connection.
The announcement follows a recent investigation that found a striking share of software on LG's webOS app store, more than 42 percent of games and other titles, contained code enabling this kind of covert traffic routing. Many of these apps likely reached that behavior through bundled software development kits (SDKs) rather than deliberate design by the app creators themselves, a common pattern in the shadowy residential proxy industry where monetization code gets slipped into otherwise legitimate-looking apps.
LG has not detailed exactly how it will detect offending apps going forward or whether it will audit its existing catalog retroactively, but the company's statement signals it's treating the issue as a policy violation worth enforcement action rather than a minor technical quirk.