No mic? Samsung TVs may hijack your soundbar to listen in, researcher claims

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1. 2h ago

   Samsung TVs May Use Connected Soundbars to Listen In

   A cybersecurity researcher claims that Samsung smart televisions lacking built-in microphones can hijack connected soundbars or Bluetooth devices to listen to room audio. According to the findings, the 2025 Samsung television model counts specific events like dog barking and baby crying, then logs this telemetry data back to company servers. The researcher began investigating the software after encountering repeated, targeted advertisements. Sound detection is an advertised feature of the hardware, but reporting telemetry counts back to remote servers is not explicitly disclosed.

   Why it matters

   Smart televisions have increasingly integrated sophisticated software to monitor user habits and deliver targeted advertising. Consumers often purchase models without built-in microphones specifically to protect their household privacy. These recent discoveries suggest that external audio peripherals could bypass those hardware precautions.

   What is confirmed

   • A researcher claims Samsung TVs without built-in microphones may use connected soundbars or Bluetooth microphones to listen to the room.
   • A researcher states that telemetry data counting dog-barking and baby-crying events is logged to Samsung servers.
   • The discoveries were made by examining the Tizen software of a 2025 Samsung TV.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Samsung TVs use AI to record audio and screenshots specifically for advertisements.

   What to watch next

   • Official statements or technical responses from Samsung regarding the Tizen telemetry findings.
   • Further technical audits or independent verifications of the code by other security researchers.
   Sources used for this update (10)

   1. Notebookcheck — No mic? Samsung TVs may hijack your soundbar to listen in, researcher claims
   2. The New York Times — Your TV Might Be Listening to You. Here’s How to Stop It.
   3. Mashable — Samsung TVs might use the mics of connected devices to listen to you, researcher says
   4. Tom's Hardware — Cybersecurity bounty hunter says Samsung TVs use AI to record audio and screenshots for ads — 'Finally found a company that truly listens to its customers,' says hacker
   5. The Guardian — ‘It was so satisfying when I threw a rock through the screen’: the people sick of being spied on by their smart TV
   6. www.notebookcheck.net — No mic? Samsung TVs may hijack your soundbar to listen in ...
   7. www.malwarebytes.com — Samsung TVs without mics may listen through soundbars ...
   8. www.hdtvtest.co.uk — Samsung TVs can hijack your soundbar to listen in, researcher ...
   9. www.gsmgotech.com — No Mic? Samsung TVs May Hijack Your Soundbar to Listen In ...
   10. mashable.com — Samsung TVs might use the mics of connected devices to listen ...
   confidence 85%