As our TVs continue to get smarter, the potential for things to go wrong only grows. This isn’t a problem exclusive to TVs, but any internet-connected device as well. With the most recent version of its WebOS smart TV platform, LG has made security a priority, which is why the company announced on Tuesday that WebOS 3.5 is the first platform of its kind to be certified by UL’s 900-1 Cybersecurity Assurance Program, also known as CAP.
“Our WebOS platform was developed with security in mind, and receiving this certification from UL, a trusted name in testing and certification, further validates those efforts,” Tim Alessi ,LG Electronics USA head of product marketing, said in a statement. “As more and more consumers embrace smart TVs and their capabilities to connect to other devices, information security is becoming increasingly important. LG’s WebOS is already considered one of the industry’s most intuitive smart TV platforms, and with this new certification, it will continue to set the benchmark for others to follow.”
If the UL name sounds slightly familiar, think lightbulbs, as the company’s certification often graces the side of the box. Cybersecurity is obviously a different concern than making sure that lightbulbs are safe, and UL CAP is much newer, having only been introduced in April 2016. That isn’t very long to measure how effective this certification is, but the company’s previous track record does lend a certain weight.
UL CAP is meant to be used with various kinds of connected home devices, TVs included. In the case of WebOS 3.5, the various tests required for certification include application security, software falsification protection, engineer mode hacking protection, and ensuring that proper authentication is used. Mostly, this is meant to protect you from the prying eyes of malicious hackers, but it can also protect your TV from becoming part of a botnet and then used to attack other devices or servers.
LG’s WebOS 3.5 is found in its most recent TVs, including the stunning W-series Wallpaper TV. For more information on WebOS 3.5, see the LG website.
