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In the classic holiday story The Nutcracker, toy soldiers under command of a nutcracker spring to life to fight an army of evil mice. With the growth of smart toys, armies made up of toy “soldiers” could soon become reality. Using the same features that make them “smart,” smart toys can be taken over by outside actors and forced to do their bidding.
But rather than being led by a nutcracker to fight off evil rodents, real armies of toys could be led by criminals to attack you or me.
“Smart toys” (Internet or Bluetooth-enabled toys) are some of the most popular toys this holiday season. Internet or Bluetooth functionality enables smart toys to have amazing features. There are:
- stuffed animals that play back messages sent from loved one’s smartphones
- robots that teach children how to code
- toys integrated with apps that teach reading and spelling skills while still providing physical exercise
Smart toys can do incredible things. Yet, if left unsecured, they not only present real privacy risks to the children and families who use them, but also security risks to everyone who relies on or uses the Internet.
Any Internet-connected device, be it a computer, connected thermostat, or smart toy, is at risk of being Continue reading