Samsung and LG Removed Apps With Proxy Code

Smart TV owners should know that manufacturers have moved to strip apps of hidden proxy software that routed internet traffic.

Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Appliances

Bold vector editorial illustration showing stylized data packets passing through an outlet, representing residential network security. — Samsung and LG are removing residential proxy software from smart TV applications, addressing security concerns regarding unauthorized home network data transmission. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Samsung and LG have committed to removing smart TV applications that contain residential proxy software. This follows findings that a significant percentage of apps on their platforms were using user devices to route third-party internet traffic.

Why it matters

Residential proxies allow third parties to route traffic through your home network, potentially bypassing IP blocks or facilitating malicious activity. Removing this code improves the security of your home internet connection and protects your device from unauthorized data transmission.

Researchers identified that 26.5% of Tizen apps and 42.5% of webOS apps contained proxy software. Samsung has restricted new app registrations while LG coordinates with developers to strip this functionality.

The players

Samsung

A leading global manufacturer of home appliances and electronics with a major footprint in smart TV operating systems.

A major producer of smart TVs and home entertainment systems that utilizes the webOS platform.

IPIDEA

A provider of proxy services previously banned by Amazon, Roku, and Google TV for using smart TVs to crawl web data.

The details

Apps incorporate software development kits that turn smart TVs into nodes for routing external data, a process that can continue even when the TV application is not actively in use. This functionality allowed IPIDEA to crawl the web for AI training and other purposes by masking traffic as residential, helping attackers evade standard geo-controls and security defenses.

Residential proxy concerns regarding TV apps emerged in April 2026.
Samsung and LG announced their mitigation plans on September 21, 2026.

The Home Front

This development follows an industry-wide push to address the use of residential proxy networks to bypass IP range blocks. It signals a shift toward stricter oversight of third-party software on consumer smart appliances to ensure household network security.

Periodically review the applications installed on your smart TV and delete any that you no longer use or do not recognize. Ensure your TV software is set to auto-update to receive the latest security patches from the manufacturer.

The takeaway

Smart TVs can inadvertently act as gateways for external web traffic if apps contain malicious proxy components. Residents should be wary of third-party apps, particularly those targeting younger users, and consider limiting the number of app installations on internet-connected televisions.