Have you ever wondered how much of your personal life is being secretly recorded as you climb those stairs, take those strides, or go on your morning jog? Well, if you wear a fitness tracker, there is a high probability that everything you do throughout the day is not only documented but also potentially shared with third parties.
There is no denying these sleek devices offer us invaluable insights into our health and activity levels. From measuring heartbeats and monitoring sleep cycles to tracking our steps and caloric intake, these wearable companions help us take charge of our well-being – but at what cost?
While these fitness trackers unveil a world of health data, they also unveil a world of potential vulnerabilities. They collect and store details about our routines, our habits, and our very movements, essentially monitoring our digital footprint. However, what would happen if this nifty device gets hacked or the manufacturer falls victim to a mass data breach?
To put it simply, fitness trackers have the power to compromise our digital security and privacy, opening avenues that might allow our confidential data to fall into the wrong hands. Let’s take a look at the risks it poses and how you can overcome them.
What data does your fitness tracker collect?
Fitness trackers are designed to capture a range of data about your physical activity, health, and well-being. While the specific data collected usually varies with different brands and device types, here are some common types of data that fitness trackers typically gather:
Step count: Fitness trackers monitor the number of steps you take throughout the day, helping you track your overall activity level.
Heart rate: Many fitness trackers include heart rate sensors to measure your heart rate in real-time, offering insights into your cardiovascular health and exercise intensity.
Calories burned: By combining data like your heart rate and activity level, fitness trackers estimate the number of calories you’ve burned during workouts and throughout the day.
Sleep patterns: Some trackers monitor your sleep duration and quality, analyzing factors like your movement and heart rate to provide insights into your sleep patterns.
Physical activity: Beyond step count, fitness trackers can identify different types of physical activities, including walking, aerobic exercises, running, cycling, and more.
Distance traveled: Many trackers use built-in GPS to measure the distance you’ve covered during activities like walking, jogging, or cycling.
Stress and relaxation: Some advanced trackers may even use heart rate variability to gauge your stress levels and suggest relaxation techniques.
Hydration and nutrition: Many fitness trackers allow you to log your water intake and meals, helping you keep tabs on your hydration and nutritional habits.
Location data: Trackers with GPS capabilities can also collect location data to map your routes and provide insights into your outdoor activities, which could include walking your kid to school or going to a grocery store.
Fitness goals and progress: You can also use these devices to set fitness goals, such as daily step targets or workout duration, and track your progress toward achieving them.
Biometrics: Some high-end fitness trackers collect more detailed biometric data, such as skin temperature, perspiration levels, and blood oxygen saturation.
While many treat these fitness trackers like their personal coaches, it is crucial to be mindful of the data the device might be sharing and how it could be used.
Read more: Does your smartwatch make you an easy target for cybercriminals?
How can fitness trackers threaten your online privacy and security?
Even the best fitness tracker can pose data privacy risks in the following ways:
Data collection and sharing
As mentioned above, your fitness tracker continuously collects a vast amount of personal data, including movement patterns, heart rate, sleep schedules, and even location. This data may be shared with third-party companies, potentially without your explicit consent, raising concerns about who has access to this sensitive information and how it might be used.
Health insights disclosure
The health data tracked by fitness devices can reveal intimate details about your lifestyle, habits, and even medical conditions. If someone gains unauthorized access to this data, it could lead to unwanted profiling, discrimination, or even being exploited for targeted marketing.
Unsecured data storage
If the manufacturer or associated apps store your fitness data in an inadequately secured manner, it becomes vulnerable to hacking attempts. A breach could expose your personal information, compromising your online privacy and potentially leading to identity theft or other malicious activities.
To give you some perspective, a popular fitness app called MyFitnessPal, which was owned by Under Armour, experienced a massive data breach in 2018. The cyberattack exposed the usernames, passwords, and email addresses of more than 150 million users.
Location tracking
Many fitness trackers can track your location while exercising or going about your daily routine. This location data, if mishandled, could potentially disclose your home address, workplace, or frequently visited locations, putting you at risk of physical harm or invasion of privacy. It can lead to cyberstalking, which can cause both physical and mental trauma, especially for women.
Moreover, let’s not forget that Strava, a well-known fitness tracking company, accidentally revealed sensitive information about the location of military bases and spy outposts around the world after releasing a data visualization map in 2017, thus exposing the drawbacks of this specific feature.
Data sales and advertising
Some fitness tracker companies may monetize your data by selling it to advertisers or other third parties. This can result in targeted advertising that not only invades your privacy and personal space but may even lead to data being used for purposes you did not intend or consent to, interrupting your digital lifestyle.
How to improve your fitness tracker security?
Older devices such as step counters and heart rate monitors stored your personal data on them, whereas modern fitness trackers can share the data with the manufacturer or sync it with external applications.
However, there’s no need to worry about your fitness tracker spying on you – as long as you follow these security measures:
Set up two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, adds an extra layer of security to the data on your fitness tracker. It is an ideal digital security practice that protects all your accounts by generating and sending a unique code to a trusted device, such as your phone, to prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing your information.
Turn off location tracking
Location tracking data can reveal a lot about you, including where you live, work, and shop. If you want to strengthen your online privacy, consider switching off location tracking in your device and app settings. In addition, be mindful of when and where you wear your fitness tracker.
Keep your device up to date
While software updates may seem annoying at times, they are a crucial part of boosting your digital security. These updates ensure your fitness tracker has the latest security features and may fix any bugs that the manufacturer might have noticed. Similarly, it is also important to keep your smartphone and other devices up-to-date, especially if they are synced to your fitness tracker.
Avoid using public WiFi
Although public WiFi networks can be extremely convenient, they also pose a plethora of threats to your online privacy. Cybercriminals often lurk on these unsecured networks, waiting to take advantage of vulnerable users by hacking into their devices. That being said, since your fitness tracker collects data of personal nature, it’s recommended to avoid public networks at all times.
Stay anonymous and secure with PureVPN
A premium virtual private network such as PureVPN can provide a valuable layer of security for your fitness tracker data. By encrypting your traffic, masking your IP address, and safeguarding your communication on public networks, it can help shield your sensitive information from potential hackers. Moreover, this added protection ensures that your fitness tracker’s data remains confidential and secure, whether you’re syncing with external apps, using cloud services, or transmitting information over the internet.
If you want to learn more about PureVPN and its security features, please click here.
To wrap it up
Your fitness tracker is likely an important part of your life. However, as you embark on your health journey with this wearable device as your companion, it is crucial to safeguard your digital footprint and follow security best practices. Privacy measures such as setting up two-factor authentication, turning off location tracking, staying in sync with software updates, avoiding shady WiFi networks, and using a premium VPN can keep your personal data shielded from any prying eyes.
So, step forward with confidence, knowing that you’re not just tracking your steps, but also stepping securely into a future of health and privacy.
Stay connected to PureVPN Blog for more tips on how to boost your online privacy and security in the digital age.
Read more: Privacy alert for women: Are health apps compromising your data?
