Should we beware of Smartwatches? The truth is that Smartwatches can track a whole lot more than your health. Some can keep track of your location, activity and sleep patterns, as well as control smart home devices. Is your skin crawling yet? Some Smartwatches can even be used to pay for goods, storing payment methods such as credit card numbers. How about now?

The portability of Smartwatches makes them easy pickings for thieves and, in the wrong hands and without the proper security measures in place, Smartwatch users become vulnerable. Plus, with Bluetooth potentially creating an entirely separate host of potential security issues, Smartwatches have also become a popular target for hackers. Smartwatches can transmit unencrypted data over Bluetooth, making their information easy to intercept. Hackers can also use Bluetooth to gain access to otherwise unauthorized personal data through impersonation, they can eavesdrop, tamper with data being transmitted and use malware to infect or control your device.

The good news is that Smartwatches were not designed to track anything without your consent and they require your permission for data access. Additionally, a smart alternative is wood watches, which don’t use Bluetooth or store private information.

If you have any other data security concerns, Computer “A” Services – proud to have effectively served the New Smyrna Beach area for decades, specializes in data security solutions.