A report by the EU consumer watchdog has found an array of issues concerning kids’ safety in relation to smartwatches.
So, these smartwatches come with apps and location services allowing parents to keep an eye on their little ones if needs be. But the Norweigan council found that some devices could potentially allow a cyber attacker to take control of the apps, permiting real-time access to a child’s whereabouts and where they have been previously.
It could also enable an attacker to contact a child directly without a parent’s knowledge. One device was shown to potentially serve as a listening device for an attacker too, where they could listen to the surroundings and what was being said.
According to TechCrunch, the report also showed that several smartwatches send data to servers that are located in places such as North America and East Asia, sometimes with no encryption in place to protect the information.
Hmm… might want to read all that small print VERY carefully before purchasing any smartwatch Christmas presents this year.
You can see the full report here.
