New Malware can infect your FitBit and spread to your computer

Could Your Wearable Carry Viruses?

Recently, a type of vulnerability was discovered in Fitbits (a popular wearable device for fitness tracking) that could make them prey to hackers. Although Fitbit has stated that their devices are safe and that they will quickly fix the vulnerability issue, the news raises concerns about wearable technology in general. Some devices can be accessed without the user’s knowledge and infected with trojans and malware that can spread to personal computers and, from there, to business computers and networks.

Infecting a Fitbit via Bluetooth Is Possible

Hackers demonstrated that they could wirelessly upload malware onto a Fitbit via Bluetooth. Although the hacker needs to be near the targeted Fitbit in order to infect it, the Bluetooth connection can happen in a park, coffee shop, or any other public area. The entire process takes 10 seconds, and the user will not notice anything wrong with his or her Fitbit immediately. But once the user connects the infected wearable to a PC or laptop, the malware can spread to the computer and even the entire network.

How to Protect Your Devices From Malware

To prevent malware infection, it is important that all your personal and business devices be always protected from outside threats. Many devices, such as smartphones or PCs, allow you to secure their Bluetooth connection with a password to prevent unauthorized access. This way, you can make sure your Fitbit is only connecting with your phone. Finally, always exercise caution when plugging any device into your computer. Use an antivirus program to scan any connected device for viruses and malware. You’ll also need to ensure that your business network’s security is examined, tested and optimized by a managed services provider.

Although the Fitbit virus is merely hypothetical — it was only demonstrated one time at a conference, and no one has reported a Fitbit being infected — this story raises concerns about wearable technology in general. Wearables are still a developing technology, and hackers will probably be able to breech the devices and spread viruses to entire computer networks. To make sure your organization’s devices stay safe, partner with the right professional IT service firm and make sure your network is protected against both the current security threats as well as the vulnerabilities which malicious attacks will seek to exploit in the future.

Reach out to your Bay Area IT support team and get your network security road map started a with a free onsite network assessment today!

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