{"id":362892,"date":"2017-10-18T09:14:37","date_gmt":"2017-10-18T09:14:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=362892"},"modified":"2017-10-18T09:14:37","modified_gmt":"2017-10-18T09:14:37","slug":"child-safety-smartwatches-easy-to-hack-watchdog-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/10\/child-safety-smartwatches-easy-to-hack-watchdog-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Child safety smartwatches \u2018easy\u2019 to hack, watchdog says"},"content":{"rendered":"
Some smartwatches designed for children have security flaws that make them vulnerable to hackers, a watchdog has warned.<\/p>\n
The Norwegian Consumer Council (NCC) tested watches from brands including Gator and GPS for Kids.<\/p>\n
It said it discovered that attackers could track, eavesdrop or even communicate with the wearers.<\/p>\n
The manufacturers involved insist the problems have either already been resolved or are being addressed.<\/p>\n
UK retailer John Lewis has withdrawn one of the named smartwatch models from sale in response.<\/p>\n
The smartwatches tested essentially serve as basic smartphones, allowing parents to communicate with their children as well as track their location.<\/p>\n
Some include an SOS feature that allows the child to instantly call their parents.<\/p>\n
They typically sell for about \u00a3100.<\/p>\n
The NCC said it was concerned that Gator and GPS for Kids’ watches transmitted and stored data without encryption.<\/p>\n
It said that meant strangers, using basic hacking techniques, could track children as they moved, or make a child appear to be in a completely different location.<\/p>\n