There was a security concern with Android TV accessing your Gmail and other Google accounts.
Unlike your phone or tablet, which requires a PIN or password to log in, Android TV lacks strong security after you sign in with your Google account.
When you sign in to your Android TV Google account, someone could sideload an unauthorized app like Chrome.
Since the TV remembered your Google account, Chrome automatically signed in, giving them access to your Gmail and potentially other Google services.
This meant that the security system would grant access to anyone who had access to the Android TV set-top box and give them physical access to your Google account.
There was no password required that could expose that the information was getting into the wrong hands. So, via your Android TV, one could potentially exploit your data.
This vulnerability was discovered earlier this year. It gained attention after Cameron Gray, a YouTuber, highlighted it and raised security concerns.
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Why was this a concern?
While unlikely at home, this could be a serious issue in public or shared environments, such as hotels, banks, and hospitals.
Access to your Gmail could allow someone to reset passwords or cause other damage.
Google’s Initiative To Fix The Loophole
After initially considering its normal behavior, Google acknowledged the loophole and rolled out a fix.
Google has released an updated patch that addresses this security flaw. While details are unclear, it likely restricts apps’ ability to access sensitive account information.   So, Android TV can no longer use the log in tokens from Google Accounts in the apps like Gmail or Drive.
This update should be rolling out automatically.
The exact fix method is unknown, but it likely prevents unauthorized apps from accessing sensitive account information.
This fix is important and much awaited as it helps protect users’ most sensitive data, such as their Gmail inbox, from unauthorized access, especially when signing into a Google account on a public Android TV setup.
What You Can Do To Protect Your Personal Data?
To protect your data, keep your Android TV updated to receive the latest security patches.
Be cautious about letting just anyone you don’t trust, have unsupervised access to your Android TV.