Free Apps Are Quietly Turning Smart TVs Into Web-Scraping Proxies for AI
ID: ad3297a1-e71b-5438-a8db-9c22b86219f3
STIX ID: report--ad3297a1-e71b-5438-a8db-9c22b86219f3
Feed Name: The Hacker News
Research reverse-engineering Bright Data's iOS SDK found it can convert consumer devices — including always-on smart TVs and phones — into exit nodes that relay web-scraping traffic for Bright Data's proxy service. The peer channel lacks strong authentication and can bypass VPNs on iOS, operate in the background, and permit high monthly bandwidth limits (e.g., up to 200 GB), while opt-in consent screens understate actual activity. The report lists SDK-related hostnames (proxyjs.brdtnet.com, proxyjs.luminatinet.com, proxyjs.bright-sdk.com, clientsdk.bright-sdk.com, clientsdk.brdtnet.com) and recommends blocking those domains at the router or scanning devices for the SDK to prevent devices being used as relays.
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