Spying on personal alarms and GPS trackers is as simple as sending an SMS
“Personal alarms and GPS trackers are now hackers’ cup of tea”
Leaving elderly members at home and setting off for work and other tasks always brings about a lot of worries. Many elderly people find it difficult to stay alone at home as they cannot move properly, climb stairs, or even take care of themselves properly. While you can hire an assistant for them, there is not 100% security. With the help of technology, many people use personal alarms and GPS trackers to ensure added security.
These alarms and GPS trackers can send their location via SMS or a data connection. Here, you need to register one number. Whenever the user presses the SOS button, a two-way voice call will be initiated. The device is also smarter; if it detects that the user has fallen, it will instantly send an alert without the need to press the SOS button. One can use these devices not only for elderly people but also for their children. Here, you can easily monitor the location and set up geofences so that if the user steps out of the pre-set locations, you will be notified.
Possible Disadvantages
As you know, the advantages and disadvantages depend on the user. Hackers are always lurking with malicious intentions. In order to add security, you may install these alarms and GPS trackers, but you may not get the desired relief at all. According to a group of security experts, these devices are mainly manufactured in China, and afterward, many companies worldwide have rebadged these alarms and trackers. However, the problem is that with a simple and easy attempt, a hacker can hack the system and track the location. Hackers can even listen to voice calls secretly via the microphone.
A simple texted command can make the device capable of tracking and sharing its GPS location. Additionally, a third-party SMS can easily disable the cellular modem and disrupt the device’s intended tasks. A group of researchers at Fidus Information Security in Cambridge, England, was the first to discover this. They said that in the US and UK, these devices are readily available, and a large number of people are using them. Many people use them to keep their workplaces and homes safe and secure, but they need to be aware of the potential privacy and security problems these devices can bring. For a solution, they can switch to another device with stronger security built from the very first stage.
This kind of problem can be solved, or the risk can be lowered by implementing a unique code. In other words, each pendant should have a unique and strong code that is used to change the configurations. However, it has been noticed that fixing a new device is easier than fixing a device that is already in the wild.
