wearables security

Wearables security is the area of system and data protection concerned with the particular risks related to computing devices worn on the user's body such as smartwatches, headsets, smart glasses and fitness trackers.

Wearable technology is a fast-growing trend both in and out of the workplace. However, the proliferation of wearable devices raises new concerns for businesses in regard to security, privacy and compliance. There are a number of risk factors common to wearables. Many wearable devices can store and transfer data, but they may not include PIN protection or user authentication features. As a rule, they also store data locally without encryption. 

Another problem is that wearable devices allow users to record video and audio unobtrusively. Whether the content is created innocently or maliciously, that data could, in the wrong hands, give away competitive intelligence (CI) . Furthermore, captured location data could provide an intruder with details about the user’s daily routines and current location at any given time.

Because of the special risks posed by wearable devices, experts recommend that businesses create separate WYOD (wear your own device) policies stipulating, among other things, which employees can bring wearables to the workplace, what types of devices are permissible and the circumstances under which they can and cannot be used.