Google warns users about unsecure Android TV OS boxes
Google has issued a warning to users regarding the prevalence of unsecure Android TV OS boxes. These seemingly innocuous devices, which have gained immense popularity in recent years, have become a breeding ground for pre-installed malware.
As security researchers delve into the depths of these low-cost Android TV boxes and dongles, they have discovered a disturbing trend that puts users' data and privacy at risk. In this article, we will explore the implications of this issue and provide you with essential information on how to safeguard your Android TV OS device.
Do not let ratings of products mislead you
It has come to light that several highly-rated Android TV set-top boxes and dongles, available for purchase on popular e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, are being shipped with preloaded malware. These insidious packages of malicious software pose a significant threat to unsuspecting users, who often remain unaware of the inherent dangers they harbor.
While these devices are marketed as Android TV OS-powered boxes, the truth is that many are built using the Android Open Source Project, without proper licensing or certification from Google. It is worth noting that some of these compromised devices even come equipped with Google apps and Play Store, further adding to the illusion of legitimacy.
Acknowledging the importance of the situation, Google has taken steps to address this alarming issue and ensure user safety. The tech giant has provided guidelines for users to identify if their Android TV device is genuinely built with the certified Android TV OS and protected by Play Protect.
How to check if your Android Tv is certified?
One of the simplest and most reliable methods to determine if your Android device, whether it's a TV, phone, tablet, or any other variant, is certified by Google is by identifying the presence of the Google Play Protect logo on the product packaging.
However, if you already own an Android device and wish to confirm whether it runs on a certified version of Android, follow these steps:
- Open the Google Play app on your Android TV
- Navigate to the ''Settings'' menu
- Scroll down to the ''About'' section and select it
You should be able to see a line that indicates your Android TV has Google Play secure certificate here. If not, we recommend you quit the device you are currently using.
There are over 100 partners globally involved in the production of certified Android devices. By referring to Google's official resources and conducting the verification process outlined above, you can confidently determine if your Android TV device is certified, thereby ensuring a secure and trustworthy user experience.
Here are the officially certified manufacturers of Google Android.
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Thanks for the tip Martin.
It is for these kinds of posts that I follow GHacks.
What’s up with the generic comment, are you a bot?
2G?
Where on the planet is that still in use? I was forced to give up using my RAZRV3 years ago because 2G was phased out by AT&T.
Everywhere 3G has been turned off and you don’t have LTE coverage, and believe me there are many developed countries where this is the case and if it weren’t for 2G you wouldn’t even be able to make a phone call.
Maybe I missed it, but I don’t believe tha term “2G” is in the article. Perhaps you are referring to “AGM G2”??
@Martin
Your website has gone insane.
When I the post button I then saw my comment posted on a different article page. When I opened this article again, it is here.
@Tachy @Martin Brinkmann
” Your website has gone insane. ”
Same here. Has happened several times.
@Tachy,
@Martin P.,
For over two weeks now,
I’ve been seeing “Comments” posted by subscribers appearing in different, unrelated articles.
https://www.ghacks.net/windows-11-update-stuck-fixed-for-good/#comment-4572991
https://www.ghacks.net/windows-11-update-stuck-fixed-for-good/#comment-4572951
For the time being,
it would be better to specify the “article name and URL” at the beginning of the post.
@tachy a lot of non-phone devices with a sim in them rely on 2G, at least here in europe.
Usually things reporting usage or errors/alarms on something remote that does not get day to day inspection in person. They are out there in vast numbers doing important work. Reliable, good range. The low datarate is no problem at all in those cases.
3G is gone or on its last legs everywhere, but this stuff still has too much use to cancel.
Anyhow, interesting that they would put that in. I can see the point if you suspect a hostile 2G environment (amateur eavesdroppers with laptop, ranging up to professional grade MITM fake towers while “strangely” not getting the stronger crypto voip 4G because it is being jammed, and back down to something as old ‘stingray’ devices fallen into the wrong hands).
But does this also mean that they have handled and rolled out a fix for that nasty 4G ‘pwn by broadcast’ problem you reported earlier this year? I had 4G disabled due to that, on the off chance that some of the local criminals would buy some cheap chinese gear, download a working exploit and probe every phone in range all over town in the hope of getting into phones of the police.
>”While most may never be attacked in stingrays, it is still recommended to disable 2G cellular connections, especially since it does not have any downsides.”
The downside would be losing connectivity. I spend a lot of time way out in the countryside where there’s often no service or almost none. My network allows 2G, and I need it sometimes. I have an option on the phone to disable 2G, I may do that when I’m in the city and I have good 5G connectivity, but not out in the country.
I would imagine that the stingray exploits, like most of the bad things in this world, are probably things you will run into in the crowded big cities.
I stopped using it in a mobile (Wi-Fi line) environment, so I’m almost ignorant of the actual situation,
But the recent reality in Japan makes me realize that “the infrastructure of the web is nothing more than a papier-mâché fiction”.
https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/17/google-chrome-to-enable-https-first-by-default-for-all-users/#comment-4572402
It is already beyond the scope of what an individual can do.
What we should be aware of is the reality that “governments and those in power want to control the world through the Web”, and efforts to counter (resist and prevent) such ambitions are necessary.
Why do you want people to disable the privacy features? Hmmmmm?
Now You: do you plan to keep the Ads privacy features enabled?
I’d like to tell you, but apparently if you make a post critical of Google, you get censored. * [Editor: removed, just try to bring your opinion across without attacking anyone]
@Martin
You website is still psychotic. Comments attach to random stories.
@Martin please do fix the comments, it’s completely insane commenting here! :[
@Martin
The comments are seriously messed up on gHacks now. These comments are mixed with the article at the below URL.
https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/18/android-how-to-disable-2g-cellular-connections-to-improve-security/
And comments on other articles are from as far back as 2010.
What does this article has anything to do with all the comments on this article? LOL I think this Websuite is ran by ChatGPT. every article is messed up. Some older comments from 2015 shown up in recant articles, LOL
The picture captioned “Clearing the Android Auto’s cache might resolve the issue” is from Apple Carplay ;)
How about other things that matter:
Drop survival?
Screen toughness?
Degree of water and dust protection?