Smartwatches And Privacy Concerns – Should we be wary of wearables? Here’s what you should know about the potential security and privacy risks of your smartwatch or fitness tracker.
Smartwatches, fitness trackers and other wearables are fast becoming as familiar as our mobile phones and tablets. These connected gadgets do more than just tell the time. They track our health, display our emails, control our smart homes and can even be used to pay in stores. They are an extension of the so-called Internet of Things (IoT) that is making all of our lives healthier and more convenient, while reducing smartphone screen time that has reached nearly six hours for half of Americans this year.
Smartwatches And Privacy Concerns
Not surprisingly, it is expected to grow by 12.5% annually over the next few years to reach US$118 billion by 2028. But as wearables reach more into our daily lives than ever, they’re collecting and connecting more data. A growing number of other smart systems. It pays to understand these potential security and privacy risks up front.
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Threat actors have multiple ways to monetize attacks on smart wearables and the associated ecosystem of apps and software. They can intercept and manipulate data and passwords and unlock lost or stolen devices. There are also potential privacy concerns over confidential sharing of personal data with third parties. Here’s a quick round-up:
Some of the most feature-rich smartwatches offer synchronized access to your smartphone applications, such as email and messaging. This may give unauthorized users the opportunity to intercept sensitive personal data. But of equal concern is where much of that data is stored. A provider can be targeted by information thieves if it is not properly protected. There is a thriving underground market for certain types of personal and financial data.
Another important type of data recorded by most wearables is related to location. With this information, hackers can create an accurate profile of your movements throughout the day. This can cause them to physically attack the wearer or their car/household is sometimes judged to be empty.
There is a greater concern about the safety of children wearing such devices if they are being tracked by unauthorized third parties.
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These aren’t the only security risks that users need to be aware of. The data your device collects can be extremely valuable to advertisers. And although it is heavily regulated in the European Union thanks to legislation introduced in 2018, there is a large trade in such data in some markets. A report claims that revenue from data sold by health device makers to insurance companies could reach US$855 million. 2023.
Some third parties may also use it to create advertising profiles on wearers and resell them. If this data is stored by many other downstream companies, this presents a significant risk of breach.
Some wearables can be used to control smart home devices. They can also be set to unlock your front door. This represents a major security risk in the event that the device is lost or stolen and the anti-theft settings are not enabled.
The equipment you wear is only part of the picture. There are actually many factors—from the device firmware to the protocol it uses for its app’s connectivity to its back-end cloud servers. All are susceptible to attack if the manufacturer does not properly consider security and privacy. Here are some:
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Bluetooth: Bluetooth Low Energy is typically used to connect wearables to your smartphone. But numerous vulnerabilities in the protocol have been discovered over the years. They can allow attackers to crash devices, discover information, or manipulate data.
Devices: Often due to poor programming, the software on the device itself is vulnerable to external attack. Even the best designed watch is ultimately created by a human being and therefore may contain coding errors. This can lead to privacy leaks, data loss and more.
Separately, weak authentication/encryption on devices can mean exposing them to hijacking and eavesdropping. Users should also be aware of shoulder surfers if they are viewing sensitive messages/data on their wearables in public.
Applications: Smartphone apps linked to wearables are another avenue of attack. Again, they can be poorly written and full of vulnerabilities, exposing access to user data and devices. A different risk is apps or users themselves being careless with data. You can also accidentally download fake apps designed to look like legitimate apps and enter personal information into them.
Kids Smart Watch
Back-end servers: As mentioned, providers’ cloud-based systems may store device information, including location data and other details. This represents an attractive target for attackers looking for a big payday. There’s not much you can do about this other than choosing a reputable provider with a good track record on security.
Unfortunately, many of the above scenarios are more than theoretical. A few years ago, security researchers discovered widespread vulnerabilities in children’s smartwatches that exposed location and personal data. Earlier, a separate investigation found that several manufacturers were sending unencrypted personal data from children using the products to servers in China.
Concerns persist even today, with research showing that gadgets are susceptible to manipulation that can even cause physical harm to the user. Another study claims hackers can change passwords, make calls, send text messages and access cameras from devices designed to monitor the elderly and children.
As wearables become a bigger part of all of our lives, they will become a bigger target for attackers. Do your research before buying and close as many attack paths as possible once you’ve booted the device.
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Privacy Tell me what happens to you? Your favorite speech-to-text app could be a privacy risk Privacy Tell What would you do? Your favorite speech-to-text app may be a privacy risk. There are many privacy risks that smartwatch users expose themselves to. From aggressive companies mining their data to extensive data leaks or personal cyber attacks.
So, if you are a proud owner of a smartwatch and want to protect yourself from all these risks, here’s what you need to do:
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Read the full article below to learn more about smartwatch privacy risks and how to protect yourself.
Smart watches are incredibly useful devices. They track important health information, send you notifications to check your messages if your smartphone isn’t nearby, and can even connect to other smart devices in your home.
There are many benefits of owning a smartwatch. Unfortunately, there are also many downsides, especially when it comes to the privacy and security of your data. In this article, we’ll take a look at what the main smartwatch privacy risks are and what you can do to protect the sensitive information your smartwatch has access to.
Privacy of smartwatches is a serious concern as these small devices contain large amounts of sensitive data. According to Statista, the worldwide smartwatch market is expected to grow by 8% annually from 2023-2027. Hence, along with the data available on these devices, the number of smartwatch users will also increase.
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Smartwatches contain a variety of sensitive information, from your banking details to your health data. This could make smartwatches a prime target for data-hungry companies and hackers.
If the data on your smartwatch is compromised, the consequences can be devastating. A few years ago, AV-testing researchers discovered a vulnerability in a popular children’s smartwatch device that allowed hackers to access communications, personal data, and even the live location of more than 5,000 children.
The information above gives you a clear indication of the wide range of smartwatch security risks and how a seemingly innocuous device like a smartwatch can be dangerous.
There are many smartwatch privacy risks, from smartwatch companies tracking your activity online to hackers gaining access and full control over your smart home. In the hands of malicious actors, your personal data can also be used to defraud you, steal your online accounts, and more. Below we detail some of the key privacy risks of smartwatches.
Tips For Better Smartwatch Security
The age of the Internet has led to an unprecedented amount of data collection. Big tech companies know a lot about you, and they get that information directly from you. For example, when you fill out a sign-up form, you part with your name, email address, IP address, and more.
This smartwatch data is often used to create the ads you see when you browse the Internet. You may be fine with this deal, but many people find this data collection invasive.
However, you can prevent smartwatch companies from accessing some of your personal information, such as your IP address or your location. To do that, you can download a VPN app on your phone.
NordVPN is our top VPN provider here and a service we’ve tested extensively for its security features. So if you download NordVPN
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