If You’re Buying Your Kid ‘Smart Toys,’ You Might Want To Rethink That Decision
We’ve all seen warnings on toys saying that they may be hazardous for kids, but the Internet age may be opening the floodgates to a whole new kind of hazard.
Fisher Price partnered with a tech company to create the first ever “Smart Toy.” It’s a bear that remembers children’s names, among other things. Sounds like a great idea…except for the fact that the bears can be hacked, potentially putting children at risk.
Boston security firm Rapid7 found that there’s a weak spot in the toy’s associated app, which is designed for parents to use.
With this app, parents store information about their kids so that the bears can access that information and create a personalized playdate.
The problem is that this server can be easily hacked, which could lead to kidnappings and other offenses.
Luckily, Rapid7 helped Mattel fix this error before it could actually hurt anyone, but as more companies produce cyber-connected toys, it’s possible that a security breach could slip through the cracks. I think I’ll just force my kids to build their own bears.
Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/smart-toy/
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