Samsung asks QLED TV owners to run a virus scan

If you own a smart TV, chances are you've hooked it up to the internet in order to access popular apps such as Netflix. But by doing so, you're also taking a risk, as your TV might get infected with malware. That's what Samsung thinks, and it's suggesting you run a regular virus scan on its TVs.

"Scanning your computer for malware viruses is important to keep it running smoothly. This also is true for your QLED TV if it's connected to Wi-Fi! Prevent malicious software attacks on your TV by scanning for viruses on your TV every few weeks," Samsung tweeted from its @SamsungSupport Twitter feed on Monday.

The ensuing reports about possible malware on Samsung TVs was apparently not what the company was going for with its tweet, which has since been deleted.

A video also showed owners of QLED TV models exactly how to access the built-in security scan feature, which is three layers deep in the TV's interface menu.

To access it, you have to load the menu and navigate to General > System Manager > Smart Security before tapping "Scan." It takes longer to trigger the scan than it does to perform one. It's unclear why this isn't an automatic scan that is performed as the TV is turned on.