Parents Are Giving Kids GPS Trackers That Can Be Hacked by Creeps

And over 600,000 people are using the default password.

Kid Trackers

The GPS trackers that people use to keep tabs on their kids, pets, and even senior citizens are gallingly vulnerable to hackers.

That's according to security researchers from Avast Threat Labs, who found that more than 600,000 trackers currently in use can be accessed through the default password "123456," according to Ars Technica. Even worse, the researchers found troubling security flaws that could be putting children and other vulnerable groups at risk.

Emergency Shutoff

In its report, the Avast team found that the signals sent from commercially-available GPS trackers like the popular T8 Mini are broadcasted in unencrypted plaintext. The team found that it could easily intercept the signals, demonstrating how a hacker could either seize control of the GPS device, change the coordinates that it displays to its receiver, or use it to make phone calls or broadcast sounds.

So far, these GPS trackers are still on the market and their manufacturers haven't announced a security update — so Ars recommends that parents stop using them immediately.

READ MORE: 600,000 GPS trackers for people and pets are using 123456 as a password [Ars Technica]

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