Are Your Wearable Devices Vulnerable To Viruses And Malware?

Anyone with information in a digital database or stored on a smart device can be a potential target for hackers these days, and inadvertently installing malware or some kind of virus to your computer or smartphone isn't out of the question, either. But what about wearable devices?

There are a lot of smartwatches and advanced fitness trackers out there, and much like our phones and computers they usually track, store, and transmit data. Once successfully hacked, someone could potentially use that information to place prescription orders in your name, or even keep track of where you are via your device's GPS. What's worse, these vulnerabilities and dangers apply to medical offices and equipment as well, with the FDA stepping in to warn about possible loopholes hackers could use to target pacemakers, insulin pumps, and so on.

Some are concerned about the risk a hacked wearable could pose to company networks, too. With so many connected devices, some of which will sync up with more than one network over the course of a day or week — like using your smartphone at home, then connecting to the Wi-Fi at work — a compromised smartwatch might be an easier in for hackers than trying to gain entry from outside the system.

What to look out for

The biggest vulnerability is in the Bluetooth connection wearables usually share with a smartphone. Any device that connects to the internet carries the risk of an attack, but many wearables use smartphones as a go-between rather than functioning as a standalone smart device. Wearables themselves are currently more of a theoretical (but still legit) risk, with more security compromises thus far coming from devices connected to wearables or compromised external databases. But that doesn't mean you can throw caution to the wind.

As always, you should be mindful of any apps or other software you intend to install on your wearables. Make sure they're from trusted (and legitimate, as sometimes attackers will post an official-looking app while pretending to be the associated company) sources, and take at least a few moments to do some sleuthing (checking user reviews, browsing discussion forums, or even searching "is [app name] safe?") before you install something you aren't confident with.

This goes double for your smartphone. But in addition to staying vigilant about apps that look official but may still feel a bit off, you'll also want to pay close attention to app permissions. Not all apps need to know your location, have access to your photos, etc. So if any permissions seem odd for a particular app, restrict them, and don't be afraid to delete apps that appear to be acting suspiciously.

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