Your Smartwatch Could Be your Biggest Security Threat

Your Smartwatch Could Be Your Biggest Security Threat

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Jan 15, 2016

Smartwatches are marketed as tools of convenience for improving everyday activities like shopping and fitness. The wristband technology allows the watch to record your daily movements, monitor your heart beat and can even recognize when you lift your arm to look at the time.

A student at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark has discovered another use for the wearable tech: stealing ATM pin codes and passwords from unsuspecting users.

In Troy Beltrameli’s thesis, titled “Deep-Spying: Spying Using Smartwatch and Deep Learning,” shows a hole in security that’s as clever as it is frightening. The student was able to create an app to capitalize on this gap.

Beltramelli built an app that records the movement data of the Sony Smartwatch 3 and then was able to sift through the data with an algorithm to find important inputs, gaining the ability to unlock a pin-protected phone or use an ATM’s keypad.

This ingenious hack does, however, have its limitations. Users can protect their ATM pin code by pressing it in with the hand that is not wearing the smartwatch. Also, the data needs to be collected by someone in close proximity to the smartwatch. For the student’s test, the data was transferred to a nearby Bluetooth device and then moved onto a server.

The last, and the most important, limitation is that the user has to willingly install the app that records this movement data. This is somewhat easy to overcome by burying such a function in an otherwise legitimate-looking  app.

Despite these limitations, this hack raises the question of how safe these smartwatches are. Recording movement data from the accelerometer and gyroscope is an invasion of privacy beyond the normal cybersecurity risks that people are used to.

The most troubling part about this is if a student could find this cyber security flaw, other less-wholesome types are probably making similar breakthroughs and aren’t publishing their findings in their thesis.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Accelerating a Pathway

    There is a new trend touting the transformational qualities of AI’s ability to deliver actionable data and predictive analysis that in many instances, seems to be a bit of an overpromise. The reality is that very few solutions in the cyber-physical security (CPS) space live up to this high expectation with the one exception being the new generation of Physical Identity and Access Management (PIAM) software – herein recategorized as PIAM+. Read Now

  • Protecting Your Zones

    It is game day. You can feel the crowd’s energy. In the parking lot. At the gate. In the stadium. On the concourse. Fans are eager to party. Food and merchandise vendors ready themselves for the rush. Read Now

  • Street Smarts

    The ongoing acceptance of AI and advanced data analytics has allowed surveillance camera technology to shift from being a tactical tool to a strategic business solution. Combining traditional surveillance technology with AI-based data-driven insights can streamline transportation systems, enhance traffic management, improve situational awareness, optimize resource allocation and streamline emergency response procedures. Read Now

  • The Progress of Biometrics

  • Next-Gen AI for Smart Cities

    The future of smart city technology is not being shaped in Silicon Valley — it is taking root in Dubuque, Iowa. With a population of about 60,000, this mid-sized city has become a live testbed for AI-driven traffic management thanks to a unique public-private collaboration led by Milestone Systems. Project Hafnia demonstrates how cities can transform urban mobility and safety through Responsible Technology—without costly infrastructure overhauls. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.