Search This Blog

Powered by Blogger.

Blog Archive

Labels

Kids' hi-tech toys threat to cyber security

Gifting hi-tech toys for your kids?  Beware of these hi-tech toys that are very easily available in markets. They have inbuilt Wi-Fi, cameras, and apps that could be easily connected to your home network.

A member of Colorado Cyber, Molly Wendell said that  "There are some really cool smart toys, smart-enabled toys, Wi-Fi-enabled toys like little dolls that talk back to you or listen to you.The toys could be listening to your child or recording video or recording the voice of your child."

This ability will help hackers to hack into your home computer network and access your bank statements online, credit cards and even medical records.

According to the chief information security officer at TeleTech Holdings (TTEC) in Englewood, Colo, "There is the tradeoff between the security and privacy of your family and the coolness of the toy," said Sam Masiello.

Some of the toys are intelligent enough to record and translate the conversation,  so it helps the manufacturers in selling the information to advertisers, Masiello said.

"If it overhears you really want to buy a new car, it might send it over to car manufacturers," he said. To solve this problem, many of the toy companies has privacy deal with customers,  promising whatever a toy hears or stores is protected.

It is recommended from the cyber experts that you should keep changing your home Wi-Fi passwords often.

"We have young kids, so we definitely don't get toys with Internet," said Adam Rutan of Lakewood, Colo.


Share it: