{
  "id": 128045,
  "title": "Samsung is removing smart TV apps that secretly turn users' internet connections into residential proxies",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/samsung-is-removing-smart-tv-apps-that-secretly-turn-users-internet",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-04T11:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechSpot",
    "slug": "techspot",
    "url": "https://www.techspot.com/news/113342-samsung-removing-smart-tv-apps-secretly-turn-users.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Samsung is taking action to remove smart TV apps that secretly convert users' internet connections into residential proxies, following security research that revealed the widespread use of this practice. The apps embed residential proxy software, which routes third-party web traffic through household devices without the users' full awareness. Samsung has started blocking new apps with this capability and is working to remove existing ones from its app store. They have also implemented strict developer policies banning residential proxy SDKs and are actively identifying and removing apps containing these components. This move comes after Norwegian cybersecurity firm Mnemonic found that several Samsung smart TV apps contained code tied to residential proxy networks, or \"resproxies.\" These networks route internet traffic through everyday consumer devices, masking the original source. Mnemonic identified apps with hundreds of millions of installs, including a Pac-Man game featured in Samsung's Editor's Choice section. The technology can turn a smart TV into an \"exit node,\" carrying traffic for third parties in the background, even when the app is not in use. Mnemonic's report highlights weaknesses in Samsung's app review process, as many apps simply load content from external servers, making the reviewed code not necessarily what runs once the app is live.",
  "summary": "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... Read Entire Article",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Android Authority",
        "title": "Score a record 50% discount on the Samsung 32-inch M8 smart monitor!",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/score-a-record-50-discount-on-the-samsung-32-inch-m8-smart-monitor",
        "published": "2026-08-03T16:59:05.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}