Ethical Hacking News
Security researchers have exposed the vulnerabilities in GPS-enabled smartwatches, which can be easily exploited by hackers. A recent study found that more than 30 brands use the same backend servers as a Chinese company with multiple security flaws.
More than 30 brands of smartwatches use the same backend servers, increasing security risks. Vulnerabilities found in GPS-enabled smartwatches allow hackers to track location, take photos and audio recordings without user knowledge. Lack of authentication and security measures make these devices easy targets for hackers. Millions of kids are vulnerable to exploitation due to lack of security in these devices.
In a shocking revelation, security researchers have exposed the vulnerabilities in GPS-enabled smartwatches and their implications for consumer safety. A recent study by researchers Vangelis Stykas and Felipe Solferini has found that more than 30 brands of smartwatches use the same backend servers as YiQingTeng, a company based in Shenzhen, China, which is also used by dozens of other brands. This raises concerns about the security of these devices and the potential for hackers to exploit them.
The researchers tested a GPS-enabled smartwatch made by YiQingTeng Electronics, which was sold for less than $30, and found that it had several vulnerabilities that allowed them to track the device's location, take photos and audio recordings without the user's knowledge, and even replace emergency contacts with ones chosen by the hacker. The study also found that other brands of GPS-enabled devices use similar platforms, including SinoTrack and NewGPS2012.
The researchers' findings are particularly alarming because they highlight the lack of security in these devices, which can be easily exploited by hackers. Stykas said, "Millions of kids are being exposed and vulnerable to exploitation. It's just catastrophic. It's really low-hanging fruit for a lot of bad actors." The study also found that many companies have been warned about these vulnerabilities for months but have failed to address them.
The researchers' talk at the Black Hat security conference has sparked widespread concern about the safety of GPS-enabled smartwatches and their implications for consumer safety. As one of the researchers noted, "A parent in Sweden buying a 'SafeKid' watch and a parent in Spain buying a 'SaveFamily' watch are both sending their child's location data to the same vulnerable backend on Alibaba Cloud in mainland China, without knowing it." This highlights the fact that many GPS-enabled devices use the same platforms, which can be easily exploited by hackers.
The study also found that the lack of authentication and security measures in these devices makes them easy targets for hackers. The researchers were able to send commands to any SETracker-based device, which is used by dozens of brands of smartwatches and millions of devices. This highlights the fact that many GPS-enabled devices use the same backend servers, which can be easily exploited by hackers.
The study's findings have significant implications for consumer safety and highlight the need for increased security measures in these devices. As one researcher noted, "I really hoped we could tell a nice story that there were vulnerabilities and they fixed them. But in many cases, they didn’t." The researchers' talk at the Black Hat security conference has sparked widespread concern about the safety of GPS-enabled smartwatches and their implications for consumer safety.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Hacked-The-Vulnerabilities-in-GPS-Enabled-Smartwatches-and-Their-Implications-for-Consumer-Safety-ehn.shtml
https://www.wired.com/story/hackers-stalked-me-by-hijacking-a-smartwatch-for-kids/
Published: Thu Aug 6 16:43:56 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
