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The takeaway: Samsung is cracking down on a group of smart TV apps that can turn users' internet connections into pass-through networks for outside traffic, following new security research that raised concerns about how widely the practice has spread. The apps embed residential proxy software that routes third-party web traffic through household devices, often without users fully understanding how their bandwidth is being used.
After being contacted by TechCrunch, Samsung said it has started blocking new apps that include this capability and is working to remove those already in its app store. "We have already restricted new app registrations that incorporate such proxy functionalities on our Smart TV platform," a Samsung spokesperson told the publication. "We are currently implementing strict platform-wide developer policies explicitly banning residential proxy SDKs, and we are working to identify and remove all apps currently available in our store that contain these components."
The move comes after research from Norwegian cybersecurity firm Mnemonic found that several Samsung smart TV apps contain code tied to residential proxy networks, or "resproxies." These networks route internet traffic through everyday consumer devices, masking the original source behind residential IP addresses.
