3 More Hackable Toys NOT to Buy Your Kids This Holiday Season

3 More Hackable Toys NOT to Buy Your Kids This Holiday Season

The clock is ticking on gift-buying this holiday season, but that’s no excuse not to do some research before you buy connected toys.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • Dec 06, 2017

The clock is ticking on gift-buying this holiday season, but that’s no excuse not to do some research before you buy connected toys. The wave of new WiFi and Bluetooth-enabled gadgets for kids means more possibilities that a toy with looser security standards could be hacked, leaving you and your child vulnerable.

We previously covered three hackable toys as investigated by Mashable. Since then, groups like Which?, a U.K.-based consumer products safety testing firm, and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group have issued their own lists of unsafe toys for 2017. Here are three of their worst offenders:

My Friend Cayla

Cayla is a smart, interactive doll that can chat with children. Her Bluetooth capability works with her app and blocks pre-loaded “bad” words and subjects, but some consumers are concerned that she may violate the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Cayla was classified by the German Federal Network as an “illegal espionage apparatus” and was banned in the country after concerns that access to the doll was unsecured and she could be used to “illegally spy” on children. It’s possible to connect to Cayla even without her app installed because smartphones identify her as a hands-free headset.

Furby Connect

The latest update to Furby connects to the Furby Connect World App to provide more physical and digital ways to interact. It also has LCD-screen animated eyes and can say more than 1,000 phrases. Unfortunately, researchers found that anyone within range of its Bluetooth can connect to the toy when it’s switched on without physically interacting with it due to a lack of security features when pairing with the device. You can also connect to the Furby with a laptop, and some researchers were able to upload and play a custom audio file through the toy, which means anyone with the know-how could upload inappropriate material to play for a child.

I-Que Intelligent Robot

i-Que is an interactive robot who can talk, tell jokes and quiz children. It uses Bluetooth to pair with its app, but smartphones can identify it as a hands-free headset without even installing the app. Anyone within Bluetooth range of the toy can pair with it and use a text field in the app to make the toy say whatever they want in the robot’s own voice. Which? demonstrates a worst-case scenario of someone taking advantage of this vulnerability in the video below.

In a consumer notice about internet-connected toys released in July, the FBI suggested parents take the following steps before purchasing a “smart” toy:

  1. Research any known security issues with the toy.
  2. Only connect smart toys to trusted and secured Wi-Fi.
  3. Look into the toy’s internet and device connection security measures.
  4. Use authentication when pairing the device with Bluetooth, such as a pin or password.
  5. Stay up to date with any manufacturer security update or patches.
  6. Investigate where the user data is stored, with the company, a third party source or both.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Evolving Cybersecurity Strategies: Uniting Human Risk Management and Security Awareness Training

    Organizations are increasingly turning their attention to human-focused security approaches, as two out of three (68%) cybersecurity incidents involve people. Threat actors are shifting from targeting networks and systems to hacking humans via social engineering methods, living off human errors as their most prevalent attack vector. Whether manipulated or not, human cyber behavior is leveraged to gain backdoor access into systems. This mainly results from a lack of employee training and awareness about evolving attack techniques employed by malign actors. Read Now

  • Report: 1 in 3 Easily Exploitable Vulnerabilities Found on Cloud Assets

    CyCognito recently released new research highlighting critical security vulnerabilities across cloud-hosted assets, revealing that one in three easily exploitable vulnerabilities or misconfigurations are found on cloud assets. As organizations increasingly shift to multi-cloud strategies, the findings underscore significant security gaps that could provide attackers with potential footholds into networks. Read Now

  • Built for Today, Ready for Tomorrow

    Selecting the right VMS is critical for any organization that depends on video surveillance to ensure safety, security and operational efficiency. While many organizations focus on immediate needs such as budget and deployment size, let us review some of the long-term considerations that can significantly impact a VMS's utility and flexibility. Read Now

  • Paving the Way to Smart Buildings

    In today's rapidly evolving security landscape, the convergence of on-prem, edge and cloud technologies are critical. The physical security landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the rapid digitalization of buildings and the evolving needs of modern organizations. As the buildings sector pivots towards smart, AI and data-driven operations, the integration of both edge and cloud technology has become crucial. Read Now

  • The Cybersecurity Time Bomb

    If you work in physical security, you have probably seen it: a camera, access control system, or intrusion detection device installed years ago, humming along without a single update. It is a common scenario that security professionals have come to accept as "normal." But here is the reality: this mindset is actively putting organizations at risk. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • 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.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.