Your smartwatch knows when you wake up. Your fitness ring knows how well you slept. Your health tracker may know your heart rate, where you exercise and how often you move throughout the day. 

Wearable devices can help us build healthier habits and better understand our bodies. But while you are learning more about your health, your wearable is also collecting an increasingly detailed picture of your life. 

So, could that information be compromised? 

The answer is yes, but the risk is not always someone directly “hacking” the device on your wrist. The weak point could be the connected phone, online account, companion app, Bluetooth connection or third-party service where your information is shared and stored. 

Follow your wearable’s data trail 

Consider what your wearable may learn during an ordinary day. 

• 7:00 am: It records when you woke up, how long you slept and changes in your heart rate overnight. 

• 8:30 am: It syncs that information to an app on your phone and potentially an online account. 

• 12:00 pm: A fitness app records your lunchtime walk and maps the route you followed. 

• 6:00 pm: Your evening run begins and ends outside your home. 

• 10:30 pm: Your device detects that you have stopped moving and may be asleep. 

On their own, these details might not seem particularly sensitive. Together, however, they can reveal patterns about your health, location and daily routine. 

That is why wearable security is not only about protecting the watch or ring itself. It is also about protecting the wider network of accounts, apps and devices connected to it.

What could someone do with wearable data? 

A cybercriminal does not care whether you reached your step goal! The information surrounding that activity may be more useful. 

If someone gains access to your wearable account, they may also find your name, email address, location history or connected services. This information could potentially be used in account takeover attempts, identity fraud or targeted scams. 

For example, a message claiming there is a problem with your fitness subscription, health account or device may feel more convincing if it includes information relevant to you. 

Be cautious when unexpected messages ask you to click a link, enter your password, make a payment or provide an authentication code. Open the official app or website yourself instead of following the link. 

The overlooked risk: connected apps 

Wearables are often linked to running apps, nutrition platforms, wellness programs, workplace challenges and other services. 

Every connection creates another place where your information may be accessed or stored. 

You may have approved an app years ago and forgotten it still has permission to view your activity or health information. Some apps may also have access to more data than they need. Review the services connected to your wearable and remove anything you no longer use. Where possible, limit each app to only the information it genuinely needs.

Give your wearable a five-minute privacy check-up

• Keep everything updated 
  • Install updates for your wearable, phone and companion apps. Updates often include fixes for newly discovered security weaknesses.
     

• Protect your account 
  • Use a strong, unique password or passphrase and turn on multi-factor authentication where it is available.
     

• Review app permissions 
  • Check which apps can access your health, fitness and location information. Disconnect services you no longer recognise or use.
     

• Check location sharing 
  • Make sure workouts and live locations are not publicly visible. Avoid sharing maps that regularly begin and end at your home.
     

• Lock your devices 
  • Use a passcode, PIN or biometric lock on both your phone and wearable where supported.

Stay active and stay aware

Wearables can make health and fitness more engaging, but convenience should not come at the expense of privacy. 

Your wearable may know a great deal about you. Take a few minutes to make sure you still control who else does.