PewDiePie hackers take over Google smart TV systems
06 January, 2019
Hackers have taken control of smart TVs around the world in another stunt to support YouTuber PewDiePie.The super-fans claim they successfully took Google says its product is not to blame but, despite that, the company appears to have found a way to stop the attack.
The hackers, who wish to remain anonymous, say they have located more than 100,000 smart TV devices that are open to this type of cyber-attack. They created a website to "live track" their stunt. The website also boasts that more than 8,000 Chromecast devices had their name changed to 'Hacked_sub2pewds_#'.
Victims have taken to social media platforms to report the problem. One Reddit user posted: "Every 20 minutes or so my TV switches to some crappy YouTube video about PewDiePie… Anyone know how to stop this, it's driving me bonkers."
The video message displayed on TVs reads: "Your Chromecast/Smart TV is exposed to the public internet and is exposing sensitive information about you!" It then encourages victims to visit a web address before finishing up with, "you should also subscribe to PewDiePie".
In recent weeks, the two hackers have carried out similar stunts by forcing potentially hundreds of thousands of printers to print similar messages. The teenager who started the wave of attacks in November and called himself "Hacker Giraffe" online has since deleted his tweets and "retired" from hacking out of fear of being caught.
In a letter posted online he said: "I just wanted to inform people of their vulnerable devices while supporting a YouTuber I liked. I never meant any hard, nor did I ever have any ill intentions. I'm sorry if anything I've done has made you feel under attack or threatened."