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Why? Just don't connect it to the internet. (Yeah, yeah, when someone actually demos a TV seeking open WiFi APs, then we'll talk. And anyone bringing up ETH ov

Why? Just don't connect it to the internet. (Yeah, yeah, when someone actually demos a TV seeking open WiFi APs, then we'll talk. And anyone bringing up ETH over HDMI gets a spankin'.)

hinkley 10d ago
XFinity has some bullshit where your router provides an AP for other XFinity members. My understanding is that it uses bandwidth you aren't paying for to carry this signal rather than using up what you paid for, but still it's been there for something going on ten years.
- jghn 10d ago
  That was the moment I bought my own cable modem instead of using theirs.
  - hinkley 10d ago
    I was about to switch carriers anyway, that was the kick in the butt I needed to make the call and schedule an appointment. Some parts of these organizations are aware that some of their rent comes from inertia. Other parts don't realize that they are providing the impulse to overcome that inertia.
- mikestew 10d ago
  So don't give it your Xfinity creds? My understanding is that Xfinity doesn't let just anyone connect to that network.
  - hinkley 10d ago
    You lack imagination, which is a liability in this field. Not your creds. Nothing stops the manufacturer from making a deal to get an account from XFinity and shipping the creds on the TV. Then they can exfiltrate data from anyone who has an Xfinity repeater anywhere in broadcast range.
    - mitxela 10d ago
      Good time to extract the creds from the TV and get free internet.
    - account42 10d ago
      Imagination is well and good but don't jump to assuming that just because you can imagine something it is already happening now. So far I have seen zero evidence that it is.
      - hinkley 10d ago
        I didn’t say it’s happening. It’s a next step that has already been tried by others, though.
- alistairSH 10d ago
  IIRC, BT does this in the UK (via the EE Wifi program).
jghn 10d ago
There are reports, including in this thread, of TV models that require a login to proceed during initial setup
- mikestew 10d ago
  That's good that they let you know right out of the box that the TV needs to go back in the box, and back to the store. I mean, c'mon, OP is willing to desolder a board on their brand-new TV, boxing it back up and buying something else shouldn't be much of a barrier.
dreamcompiler 10d ago
Not good enough. Eventually the grandparents will come to visit. They'll turn on the TV, it will ask them to "finish the setup procedure," they'll type in my wifi password and BOOM! I'm pwned.
- account42 10d ago
  That's on you for failing to set expectations for how others you let into your home treat your devices. I can't imagine anyone I know thinking to "finish setting up" something in my home without asking and there would be hell to pay if someone did.

Why? Just don't connect it to the internet. (Yeah, yeah, when someone actually demos a TV seeking open WiFi APs, then we'll talk. And anyone bringing up ETH over HDMI gets a spankin'.)

hinkley 10d ago

XFinity has some bullshit where your router provides an AP for other XFinity members. My understanding is that it uses bandwidth you aren't paying for to carry this signal rather than using up what you paid for, but still it's been there for something going on ten years.

jghn 10d ago
That was the moment I bought my own cable modem instead of using theirs.
- hinkley 10d ago
  I was about to switch carriers anyway, that was the kick in the butt I needed to make the call and schedule an appointment. Some parts of these organizations are aware that some of their rent comes from inertia. Other parts don't realize that they are providing the impulse to overcome that inertia.
mikestew 10d ago
So don't give it your Xfinity creds? My understanding is that Xfinity doesn't let just anyone connect to that network.
- hinkley 10d ago
  You lack imagination, which is a liability in this field. Not your creds. Nothing stops the manufacturer from making a deal to get an account from XFinity and shipping the creds on the TV. Then they can exfiltrate data from anyone who has an Xfinity repeater anywhere in broadcast range.
  - mitxela 10d ago
    Good time to extract the creds from the TV and get free internet.
  - account42 10d ago
    Imagination is well and good but don't jump to assuming that just because you can imagine something it is already happening now. So far I have seen zero evidence that it is.
    - hinkley 10d ago
      I didn’t say it’s happening. It’s a next step that has already been tried by others, though.
alistairSH 10d ago
IIRC, BT does this in the UK (via the EE Wifi program).

jghn 10d ago

There are reports, including in this thread, of TV models that require a login to proceed during initial setup

mikestew 10d ago
That's good that they let you know right out of the box that the TV needs to go back in the box, and back to the store. I mean, c'mon, OP is willing to desolder a board on their brand-new TV, boxing it back up and buying something else shouldn't be much of a barrier.

dreamcompiler 10d ago

Not good enough. Eventually the grandparents will come to visit. They'll turn on the TV, it will ask them to "finish the setup procedure," they'll type in my wifi password and BOOM! I'm pwned.

account42 10d ago
That's on you for failing to set expectations for how others you let into your home treat your devices. I can't imagine anyone I know thinking to "finish setting up" something in my home without asking and there would be hell to pay if someone did.