this post was submitted on 24 Aug 2026
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A Boring Dystopia
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So the monitor connects via HDMI? And somehow installs something over the HDMI connection? Or is the user conned into installing the LG app under the guise of improved monitor functionality or some such bullshit?
Anything you plug into your computer is going to have some driver associated with it. Even a generic one. The monitor has a MAC address and other data that announces what it is. Your OS sees this and tries to use the appropriate driver's for the device. Windows will go so far as to try to fetch the drivers via Windows update to keep the device up to date. This is not a bad thing. It's bad when LG betrays your trust by using it as an attack vector to install spyware. That's what happened.
Connecting the monitor to the computer triggers a Windows driver update. LG grabs that update request and returns an app that automatically installs itself. The implied consent is willfully connecting the monitor to the computer.
Avoid LG products.
That's called malware this is crazy
*Avoid Microsoft products too!
In a sane world, LG would be declared a criminal enterprise and executives would go to prison for massively violating the CFAA.
I got a free LG monitor from an office closure near me. Didn't notice this because I'm a Linux person. Let someone use a Windows laptop with it via HDMI and it did that. Lol
It's an oligopoly. They do this because they think that prople can't go to a competitor because Samsung is doing the same thing. The people that's supposed to keep this from happening hasn't been doing their job.
Given the recent article about how a website was using a zero volume audio signal to fingerprint browsers it's probably good to assume that "they" are trying to get you any way "they" can.
https://hackaday.com/2023/01/04/all-about-usb-c-resistors-and-emarkers/
There's a profit motive and a possible technological path. It's a safe assumption someone will eventually do it. That doesn't count bluetooth and wifi that only talks to other BrandX devices looking for a path out, and once 6G cell service becomes common it can be direct-to-device unless you're in a Faraday cage.
According to the article, the add software is installed with the drivers through Microsoft Update.
So Linux users are safe, as always.
HDMI can have ethernet as well, though I'm not sure how common (if at all) it is to route this through a normal video card. That might change if LG asks Asus nicely.