What if virus infected usb is plugged into LCD TV?

praveeng

Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2010
Messages
80
Points
8
Location
Delhi, India
A friend of mine asked this question. He has been using such a USB for watching movies on his Sony 32" LCD recently and was scared if it would harm the TV.
I understand that it doesn't make sense to use virus infected drive at the first place. But then, may be there is a surprise for me that says a virus infected USB wont harm the TV in any manner.

Any views on this?
 
viruses can be only a pain for a particular platform. a tv player wont even detect the exe virus files and neither wud it work on the tv ... so dont worry..

it wont harm.. or lets say.. it not even a virus for the tv just a crappy file that might not even be detected...
 
Ohh!! Thats actually a surprise for me.

I thought that since it can process digital files, there would be a processor inside which might get affected by virus. Good to know that it wont harm.

Thanks for info.
 
Viruses are no longer just exe files - they could be masked as picture or movie files. But most common viruses need memory to operate - does your TV have memory?

It will require a complicated virus that understands the TV operating system and once loaded by the player, manages to attack the firmware, altering it. Definitely possible in theory. Not sure if anyone has tried one yet.

Your Windows viruses won't affect your TV, unless your TV runs on Windows OS.
 
Virus are written for specific platform. A Virus written for windows platform will affect the windows as same for mac and others. So no need to worry about. As I am a Cyber threat analyst.
 
TV will have cold, cough or diarrhea for a week. Then the TV will be mad at user for sticking that USB with virus into it.
 
I love his jokes. He is yet to show up here, so thought of trying to fill the void... :D
 
As till now LCD dont have any operating system or software to be corrupted there is no risk of virus corrupting TV. In future I dont know.
Is your TV virus-proof? - CNET News

By the way No need for any virus. TV Programmes are already corrupted by Daily Soaps, news channels, Dance Shows and Rakhi Sawant.
:lol:
 
As till now LCD dont have any operating system or software to be corrupted there is no risk of virus corrupting TV. In future I dont know.
Is your TV virus-proof? - CNET News

By the way No need for any virus. TV Programmes are already corrupted by Daily Soaps, news channels, Dance Shows and Rakhi Sawant.
:lol:

The entity which runs software has OS. TV is no exception to that. I have seen Panasonic uses stripped version of linux, same with xtreamer media player. These devices run minimal OS and set of device drivers on special hardware. So LG must be having similar kind of funda.

Now viruses are meant to executed in OS on specific platform, exploring gaps in running program. For linux I feel its safe to assume it wont allow execution automatically.

In the end profit (gain of info, destruction, theft are motives) v/s investment (knowledge of devices, efforts to right malicious programs) is not suitable area. Once it turns favorable it will be hacked like smart phones which does support banking and personal information storage.
 
Last edited:
You have to understand one thing. Those who write the viruses go by the principle of max damage with minimum effort. Basic need for that is the widespread platform. That's the reason there are viruses on Windows mostly and very few on Unix, linux and Apple OS. Not that those OS's are so much strong, but the virus writers don't find it so lucrative to write the viruses for those. All the TV's use some OS, mostly Linux. But again, its a miniaturized version of linux, with different hardware. So, even if someone writes a virus, there is no guarantee that will work and execute on the different versions of TV. Now, if almost all the TV makers standardize on Google TV or something like that, then there is probability in future.

Even then, I still believe there is not much to gain by virus writers by attacking the TV. The viruses will hit the smartphones like Apple, Android, blackberry way before TV becomes the target. There is lot of information that can be stolen from a phone than a TV. What will the hacker steal from TV? your info about the daily soap operas you watched? (pretending that the TV stores that info)

Stop worrying and enjoy your TV/shows. Its like worrying about the accidents that can happen to you before stepping outside the house.
 
No virus for TVs, media players yet.

When they become more and more 'connected' to internet and you start doing e-commerce or use credit card in your TV, that is the day virii programmers will be interested in your TV/STB/Media player.

Suffice to say, the day is not far and when it arrives, the OSes will be caught pants down as they are not 'designed' to resist attacks. Like what happened to the windows 95 and the 98s.
 
IMO-TV is usually firmware based & not software base like PC.SO virus cannot easily affect TV unless it is made for that particular model.
 
Wharfedale Linton Heritage Speakers in Walnut finish at a Special Offer Price. BUY now before the price increase.
Back
Top