Any thoughts on how long until someone starts trying to Hack into your Hopper?

navychop

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Well, the NSA might be interested in what's on your DVR......
 

Bobby

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Scherrman

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Ilya

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As I understand, the way they hacked that Samsung TV was through its web browser: you visit a malicious web site and your browser gets compromised. So, once the DVR has a web browser it will potentially be open to a similar type of attack.

Another way to attack your DVR would be from inside your LAN, via Wi-Fi, from some virus or trojan on your computer. But if your LAN is compromised, the hacked DVR will be the least of your problems.

The good news though is that the DVR software is being constantly updated by Dish. As soon as Dish learns about a vulnerability, a patch can be quickly pushed out to all DVRs in a matter of days or even hours. Not all smart TVs and other smart devices can be updated that quickly.
 

DishSubLA

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Yes, an alarmist article that fails to mention that most hackers are interested in finding honey-holes, and that honey is related to your PC/Mac or portable device, not the TV and certainly not the DVR. In fact, it is far easier and profitable for hackers to just hang-out at places with free WiFi and catch all the unsecured traffic from all those users who absolutely no clue that they are being reamed. In fact, this and all the unsecured traffic on portable devices is of far more concern and should be hyped, but it's more sexy to publish an article with the arcane attribute of seeing us in our skivvies while we watch TV. The hack for doing the same, but on our PC/Mac cameras has far more chances for creepiness and violations of privacy than a Samsung Smart TV.

However, the article is a good example of how still, with all our knowledge and legacy of poor security or no security built in to our technology, we are STILL producing tech with horrid security, and being behind a router isn't going to help if you are tricked into specifically requesting those packets. From car fobs to smart TV, more holes in the Swiss cheese than ever. But I aint losing any sleep over the Smart TV hole. Who the heck uses those things for serious internet surfing and buying? Exactly why serious evil hackers aren't interested in going there.
 

Barry Erick

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I agree with behind a router, you are safe. You may have to assign a static IP and allow only certain sites in, but not dickandjanesweirdsite.com and chicken little won't have to run scared.
 

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