State agencies investigate TV in Superintendent Ryan Walters' office

The State Board of Education and Superintendent Ryan Walters are requesting that the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) inspect the equipment inside Walters' office, specifically, a Samsung smart TV.

While questions swirl about what could have been displayed on the screen, tech experts say the TV alone may not hold the answers.

A smart TV on its own doesn't store much data. Experts say that if there's any digital trail, it's often tied to external devices, such as a laptop, smartphone, or the Wi-Fi network to which it's connected.

Ashley Coffey, an IT specialist and CEO of Coffey & Consult, is not involved in the state's investigation. However, she shared with News 9 what can be found on TVs.

"You can look through the browsing information within the apps that are pre-installed on these TVs. Such as Netflix, YouTube so you can look at browsing history," said Coffey.

According to a report OMES sent to lawmakers, the Samsung TV had previously been used by another employee of the Department of Education. It was moved into Superintendent Walters' office earlier this month, and that employee's YouTube TV account was still logged in.

"Network traffic can give a lot of clues to what was happening behind the scenes, but that's only dependent on if the devices were connected to the same wi-fi network," said Coffey.

OMES confirms the TV was connected to the state's Wi-Fi network, as well as an antenna and cable, but reports that no search history was found.

"Just because it has cable access doesn't mean someone can hack into it — that's out of the question," said Coffey.

Coffey says the most digital evidence comes from a Wi-Fi connection.

OMES noted that a one-time passcode was required for any device to screen cast to the TV. The agency also stated that the State Board of Education often uses personal hot spots to connect during board meetings.

"Really, there is no forensic evidence that you can go into that hotspot. Specifically, you would have to see that device for that information, such as a phone or computer," said Coffey.

OMES says it cannot inspect any other state or personal devices without permission from the agency or the individuals involved.

Superintendent Walters maintains the TV was tuned to a cable network and says none of his personal devices were connected to it.

RELATED:

1. Exclusive: Oklahoma Education Board members speak out about inappropriate images in Walters’ office
2. Timeline of Events: Walters TV controversy & investigation
3. Investigation into Ryan Walters still ongoing, Oklahoma Co. Sheriff says
4. Ryan Walters addresses nude video allegations in press conference: 'Coordinated attack to crucify my character'
5. Supt. Ryan Walters under investigation following allegations of inappropriate images in office; What to know