child smart watch

Millions of Children-Tracking Smartwatches Are At Risk Of Being Hacked

New findings by security firm Pen Test Partners reveal that 47 million devices worldwide could be exposed and tracked thanks to a strikingly insecure cloud platform.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • Dec 20, 2019

Throughout 2019, security researchers have discovered striking flaws about child-tracking smartwatches that could be manipulated by hackers. But new findings reported by TechCrunch show that the smartwatches had a larger problem on their hands: a very insecure common cloud platform lacking basic cybersecurity protections.

Researchers found that the cloud platform, made by Chinese electronics company and location-tracking giant Thinkrace, puts at least 47 million devices at risk of being hacked. Because each device interacts with the cloud platform either directly or through a web domain set up by a reseller, cybersecurity firm Pen Test Partners was able to all commands for the devices back to the faulty cloud platform.

“It’s only the tip of the iceberg,” Ken Munro, the founder of the company, told TechCrunch.

The firm’s findings show that most of the commands that control the devices do not require authorization, allowing hackers to gain access to a device and track its location. There is also no randomization of account numbers, allowing the researchers to access devices in bulk by increasing each account number by one.

Disturbingly, researchers were also able to access voice messages recorded and stored in the insecure cloud that were meant to be exchanged between parents and children. The device, sold by a reseller of Thinkrace’s smartwatches, is used by some five million children and parents, according to TechCrunch.

Researchers compared their findings to CloudPets, a WiFi-enabled teddy bear that left its cloud unprotected and exposed the voice recordings of two million kids.

In 2015 and 2017, Pen Test Partners disclosed the vulnerabilities to electronic makers, including Thinkrace. Some resellers fixed their vulnerable “endpoints,” TechCrunch reported, but many companies ignored the warnings, which pushed the firm to go public with its discoveries.

While consumers may not think they own a Thinkrace smartwatch, many of its devices are sold to popular companies for resale. Some of those companies include Lenovo, Vodafone, Allianz and Huawei.

That’s why Munro recommends that consumers stay away from using the devices. Users can also contact the company selling the watch to ask if their watches are manufactured by Thinkrace, and if the business depends on Thinkrace’s cloud platform.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • 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.

  • 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.