U.S. Army faces mass mailing of spy smartwatches

The U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division has issued a directive that explicitly prohibits service members from turning on or otherwise interacting with smartwatches received in the mail. There’s been a recent surge, with military personnel reporting unexpected receipt of various wearable gadgets they didn’t order. Smart watches dominated this mailing, and experts have concluded that someone is trying to build a secret spy network.

There is a legitimate, but not very honest, method of promoting brands or marketplaces. It consists of sending products to random people for free, and then posting rave reviews on their behalf. This is difficult to challenge, and makes no sense to consumers, so many people just keep the free stuff and ignore the consequences.

Because of this, vigilance is dulled and that’s when hackers step in. Devices such as smartwatches connect to all available wireless networks without the user’s knowledge. They incognito collect various information using the built-in camera and microphone. A separate problem is the collection of biometric data and the tracking of the user’s movements.

It is not surprising that the U.S. military is so concerned – after all, the wearer of the free watch can become a spy without knowing it. Confirmed cases have not yet been identified, or they are not reported, but this does not negate the fact of the threat. Similar advice can be addressed to everyone else – if you unexpectedly received a free gadget that you did not order, it is better to stay away from it and do not turn it on.

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