WiFi-connected Toys May Stalk Children

WiFi-connected Toys May Stalk Children

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Feb 24, 2015

I often think about when I was a child and all the cool toys that I had: my Mickey Mouse record player, Sit-n-Spin, paint-with-water books, and enough stuffed animals to open my own store! As simple as those “nostalgic” toys seem, at the time, those were considered high-tec gadgetry.  Now, children have toys that connect directly to the Internet, interact with them in real-time, record what they say and even adapts to their interests. While these toys are “cool,” and probably on every child’s Santa list for Christmas, there are some scary security implications.

The data being collected from children as they innocently play and interact with their toys could be used to conduct market research, advertise new products directly to children and even build profiles of their interests, a profile that could follow them for the rest of their digital lives.

Let’s take Hello Barbie as an example. Developed by ToyTalk, this interactive, Wi-Fi-connected Barbie doll has a microphone, speaker and a small embedded computer, along with Wi-Fi hardware. Press a button on Barbie’s belt buckle and she wakes up, asks a question and then activates the microphone. While the child speaks to Barbie, his or her replies (and any background noise) are being recorded, encoded, encrypted and sent into ToyTalk’s servers. The audio is then processed by voice-recognition software to figure out what was said and how best to reply.

This recorded data is supposedly used to assist Mattel and ToyTalk to improve Barbie’s scripted replies that are in the doll’s backend software. This is all fine and great, making the child’s future experience with the doll even more enriching, but what happens if ToyTalk’s servers get hacked? What happens if your child’s voice falls into an online predator’s hands? What happens if Barbie gets hacked by bad people who start interacting with your child?

All scary thoughts, but rest assured parents, because Barbie will email you weekly or daily, giving highlights about what your child has said and there’s even an app that allows you to specify “off limit” conversation topics.

By the way, whatever happened to teaching our children NOT to talk to strangers?!

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services

  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.