OK, here’s what’s going to be a fairly short article. Because honestly, there’s some stuff you need to know about this topic, but realistically you have much more likely things to worry about.
Hacking is possible…
I’m not going to say DIRECTV gear can’t be hacked. It’s connected to the internet. It uses Linux, which is a very well-known operating system. But honestly? If you’re going to talk about hacking DIRECTV from a remote location, you have to ask yourself two questions.
The first is… why? I mean, are you afraid that some black hat is going to look at your playlist or change the channel on you while you’re watching? It just doesn’t seem likely.
And as for the second, you kind of have to say “how?” I’m sure there are talented hackers that can get into virtually anything. But unlike consumer versions of Linux, the version of Linux used on DIRECTV gear is pretty well locked down. Especially from a remote point of view. I know for a fact that DIRECTV’s own engineers can get into a DIRECTV box’s inner workings if they have that box next to them. It’s some sort of weird dongle thing that they don’t really describe for obvious reasons. But brute-forcing your way into a DIRECTV box from a distance seems like a long shot.
A more likely scenario
Here are two things that are much easier to hack than your DIRECTV box. First of all your home Wi-Fi probably isn’t that secure. You’d like to think it is but you’re probably using an inexpensive router. Also, your password is probably your kid’s birthday or something like that. Don’t deny it, I’m not judging.
Speaking of passwords, it’s also probably fairly easy to hack your DIRECTV account if you’re using a weak password. With access to your account, someone could buy pay-per-view movies or change your viewing package. But again, I’d have to say “why?” Unless you have seriously annoyed a very serious hacker, I can’t imagine anyone going to this level of mischief for a relatively small return.
Want to be hackproof?
You could change your DIRECTV account password to something so long and complex that no one could get it in a zillion years. You could take your DIRECTV system off the internet. Or, you could realize that the odds of something like this happening are incredibly slim. There are tons of other things that hackers would like to get their hands on rather than your DIRECTV account.
If you suspect you’ve been hacked, really suspect it, let the experts help you. Call us at 888-233-7563 during East Coast business hours. We can help diagnose problems with your DIRECTV system. Chances are you haven’t been hacked, but there are plenty of other things we can help you diagnose if you would like.
