Dec. 27 (Portaltic/EP) –
The latest developments in technology have also reached toys and those that offer intelligent functions are an interesting option when giving to the little ones at Christmas, although like all electronic devices, they present a series of risks that can put your privacy at risk.
Smart toys can be very useful in promoting learning, entertainment and cognitive development in children, but misusing them can give cybercriminals the key to access users’ personal information and other data.
Various studies have shown that some of these articles do not securely encrypt the data they collect or “they have an application that requires more permissions than necessary”as pointed out by the head of cybersecurity communication for Society and SMEs at S2 Grupo, Eva Mª López.
The company has recalled the case of an incident recorded with a smart toy robot this year that, if it had not been updated with the most recent version of its system, allowed cybercriminals to have access to it to make video calls, steal account accounts user or modify the ‘firmware’.
In this context, the company’s team of experts has highlighted a series of tips aimed at using smart toys safely, such as choosing brands that generate trust.
This means that it is important to review other users’ reviews of a particular product and find out if the manufacturer regularly offers security updates for their system, as well as changing the manufacturer’s default passwords, which increases security.
On the other hand, it is advisable to know the configuration of the toys and deactivate all functions or permissions that are not strictly necessary for its operation, as well as disable microphone or camera functions when they are not being used, if they have them.
Finally, S2 Grupo has pointed out that it is best to turn off the device completely when not in use, instead of leaving it at rest, as this can be the perfect opportunity for malicious users to carry out their activities.
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