A British security research firm has found that many children’s tracker watches have weak security and could be surprisingly easy to hack. If your child wears one of these devices, it’s worth understanding what the risks are — and what to look out for.
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Many parents buy these “smart” watches for their children. The tracker watch is worn by the child and reports their location to a parent via a mobile app. They’re marketed as a safety tool, giving parents peace of mind that they always know where their child is.
A security researcher from UK-based Pen Test Partners became curious about these watches after a friend bought a Misafes watch for his child.
Alan Monie and his colleague Ken Munro tested the watch’s security and found that the devices neither encrypted the data they transmitted nor properly secured each child’s account.
Their research shows that some of these watch brands can actually reduce a child’s safety, exposing them to people with less than good intentions.
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A Simple Hack Can Make the GPS Watches Unsafe
Using a relatively simple hack, achievable with ordinary PC software, the researchers were able to track children’s movements, listen in on their surroundings, and make fake calls to the watches that appeared to come from a parent.
“Once a hacker has the parent’s number, they could spoof a call to appear to come from it, and the child would think it’s their mum or dad calling,” said Munro.
“They could leave a voice message or speak to the child directly to convince them to leave the house and go to a particular location.”
The researchers demonstrated that anyone online could:
- locate a child on a map in real time, such as at the play park
- call the child directly on their watch
- covertly listen in on both parent and child
- send messages to the child that appeared to be from a parent
- retrieve a photo of the child, along with their name, date of birth, gender, weight and height
This didn’t require advanced skill. It was well within the capability of an attacker with basic coding knowledge, using only free tools.
“It’s probably the simplest hack we have ever seen,” Monie told the BBC. “I wish it was more complicated. It isn’t.”
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Many Kids’ Tracker Watch Brands Are Affected
The original research focused on watches branded “Misafes Kids Watcher,” estimated to affect around 30,000 devices. The researchers went on to find at least 53 other tracker watch brands with identical or near-identical security issues, with their wider research pointing to at least one million affected watches in use.
What Should Parents Do?
Consumer watchdogs elsewhere have raised similar concerns about child-targeted smartwatches with security flaws.
“This is another example of an unsecure product that should never have reached the market,” said Gro Mette Moen, at the time acting director of digital services for the Norwegian Consumer Council.
Their advice was to hold off buying these smartwatches until sellers can demonstrate that their security standards are genuinely satisfactory.
Pen Test Partners’ recommendation is not to rely on a GPS watch to track your child, given the serious security concerns that can put both parent and child at risk. If a manufacturer can provide clear evidence that their system is secure, they suggest it would be reasonable to continue using the watch — but that assurance should come from the company itself, not be assumed.
If your child already wears a tracker watch, it’s worth checking the manufacturer’s website for any security updates or advisories, and thinking about what personal information the app and device actually store.
Has your child used a tracker watch? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all children’s tracker watches unsafe?
Not necessarily, but the research highlighted widespread security weaknesses across many brands. It’s worth checking whether a manufacturer has published information about how they encrypt data and secure user accounts before buying or continuing to use one.
What personal information could be at risk?
In the cases tested, researchers were able to access a child’s location, photo, name, date of birth, gender, height and weight, as well as listen in and make calls that appeared to come from a parent.
Should I stop using my child’s tracker watch?
Security researchers advised caution and recommended not relying on these watches unless the manufacturer can show their security is robust. If you’re concerned, it’s worth contacting the manufacturer directly to ask about their security measures.
What can I do instead to keep track of my child’s safety?
Simple safety habits — agreed meeting points, teaching children about stranger danger, and open conversations about staying safe when out and about — remain valuable alongside, or instead of, any tracking device.
Related Articles
- Tips for Teaching Children About Stranger Danger
- 5 Simple Lessons To Teach Your Kids About Online Safety
Before You Go
If this raised questions about keeping your family safe online, take a browse through our other family safety articles, or save this one to come back to later.
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