{"id":10238,"date":"2018-01-18T11:17:54","date_gmt":"2018-01-18T19:17:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:drivesaversdatarecovery.com\/\/?p=10238"},"modified":"2023-12-18T03:58:19","modified_gmt":"2023-12-18T11:58:19","slug":"internet-connected-childrens-toys-5-safety-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drivesaversdatarecovery.com\/de-de\/blog\/internet-connected-childrens-toys-5-safety-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Internet-connected Children\u2019s Toys: 5 Safety Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Michael Hall, DriveSavers Chief Information Security Officer<\/em><\/p>\n

Now that the holidays are over and every present has been opened and tested, you may want to take a closer look at any new devices in your household.<\/span><\/p>\n

Run an online search for \u201cinternet-connected children\u2019s toys\u201d and you\u2019ll find pages and pages of \u201csmart\u201d tech toys to purchase, from \u201clearning tablets\u201d designed for young children to funny little animals that transmit voicemail messages. There are even smart toys, such as Mattel\u2019s <\/span>Hello Barbie<\/span><\/i> doll and Nuance\u2019s <\/span>My Friend Cayla<\/span><\/i> doll, that record a child\u2019s voice and translate it into data that can be used in later play via keyword search, all stored online.<\/span><\/p>\n

How secure are all of these cloud-storage databases? What might these toys be exposing about you or your children?<\/span><\/p>\n

Always Listening, Always Recording<\/span><\/h2>\n

Recently, researchers with a consumer watchdog company called Which? identified security issues with a handful of connected children’s toys, including Furby Connect, the <\/span>i-Que robot<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Cloudpets<\/span><\/i> und <\/span>Toy-fi Teddy<\/span><\/i>. Which? found that these toys did not employ basic authentication security protocols when connecting to other devices, such as smartphones, via Bluetooth. This meant that any device within physical range of these children\u2019s toys could easily link to them and take control. Once the link was established, children’s conversations could be overheard, recorded or participated in.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is also important to recognize that smart toys such as <\/span>Hello Barbie<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>My Friend Cayla<\/span><\/i> und <\/span>Cloudpets<\/span><\/i>, regardless of initial security measures, record and store data online that may include children\u2019s voices, personal account information and even GPS locations. This cloud-stored data is potentially susceptible to security breach. <\/span><\/p>\n

Just this past year, toy manufacturer VTech agreed to pay $650,000 in a settlement with the FCC over a data breach in 2015 that exposed the personal data of 6.4 million children under the age of 13. This hack shines a spotlight on the importance of incorporating additional protections for personal data belonging to the most vulnerable technology users.<\/span><\/p>\n

Video Games<\/span><\/h2>\n

The video games that children play with other children through connected gaming systems range from highly educational to unrestrained gore and everything in between. Even when a child is playing an innocent game of Minecraft with other players, there are concerns that need to be acknowledged. <\/span><\/p>\n

The chat features in PlayStation Network and Xbox Live are full of stranger danger. When playing video games using one of these networks, your children can talk directly to other players or even enter virtual rooms for private conversations. <\/span><\/p>\n

These games are virtual playgrounds for children to enjoy. Like real life playgrounds, however, it is important to be aware of what your children are doing there and who they are interacting with. More and more child predators are searching for and preparing potential victims online, a practice known as <\/span>grooming<\/span><\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n

What You Can Do<\/span><\/h2>\n

Technology is an everyday part of life today and is necessary for both school and career. Many of these connected devices and games are educational and benefit the children who use them. It\u2019s essential for their safety, however, that parents take the time to learn about each toy or device and incorporate security precautions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are five ways to keep your children safer when using their gadgets.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Understand Your Children\u2019s Devices<\/span><\/h3>\n

Always take time to research a device before putting it in a child\u2019s hands. You should know the answers to these questions:<\/span><\/p>\n