Is the 2nd Generation Chromecast Secure? Unraveling the 'Untrusted Device' Issue

Chromecast 2nd Generation: Reliability Concerns and What 'Untrusted Device' Really Means

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Published in 03-09-2025

Chromecast was launched by Google on July 24, 2013, marking the beginning of a revolution in the way digital content is streamed through televisions. Since then, several versions and improvements have been released, maintaining its popularity in the streaming device market.
Photo: Akshay Chauhan

The Chromecast, Google's popular streaming device, has been undergoing significant changes recently. In August 2024, Google announced that it would stop producing the Chromecast, marking the end of an era for this device that allowed millions of users to stream content to their TVs with ease. ?

As a replacement, Google introduced the Google TV Streamer, a more advanced device that offers improvements in storage, performance, and smart hub features. Unlike the Chromecast, the Google TV Streamer takes the form of a streaming box rather than an HDMI dongle. While the Chromecast has been discontinued, existing devices will continue to work and receive support and security updates until September 2025.

Security and Trust in Chromecast 2nd Gen: Debunking Myths About Data Theft Risks

Some Chromecast 2nd Generation and Chromecast Audio users have reported recent errors indicating that the device is "untrusted." However, this does not mean that there is a direct risk of information theft.

What does the "Untrusted device" error mean?
This message may be related to:
a) Problems verifying the device on Google servers.
b) A security update that no longer recognizes certain older models.
c) Outdated firmware that prevents the Chromecast from working properly.

Is there a security risk or information theft?
So far, there is no evidence that this issue affects security or exposes users' personal data. Rather, it appears to be a technical incompatibility or a change in Google's verification requirements.
Google is aware of the issue and may release a fix soon. If you have a second-generation Chromecast, you can try updating or restarting it to see if the error goes away.