The smart vibrator We-Vibe 4 has reportedly been hacked, with hackers discovering that they can access the sex toy remotely without the user’s consent.
Two hackers, who go by the online handles of “goldfisk” and “follower,” revealed that they could remotely hack into the Internet of Things (IoT) product and effectively turn it on at any point, which poses a major privacy risk for those purchasing the device. Speaking at the Def Con hacking conference in Las Vegas, follower even compared the issue to sexual assault, saying: “The company that makes this vibrator, Standard Innovation: They have over 2 million people using their devices, so what’s at stake is 2 million people.”
He added: “A lot of people in the past have said it’s not really a serious issue, but if you come back to the fact that we’re talking about people, unwanted activation of a vibrator is potentially sexual assault.”
The hackers also discovered the We-Vibe 4 app was sending information to its manufacturer.
Not only that, but goldfisk and follower also discovered that the vibrator’s app was sending information back to the manufacturer, with the temperature information of the device allowing Standard Innovation know when it was being used and for how long. According to a statement obtained by The Guardian, the company said that this was used for “market research” in order for them to get a better understanding of their customers. However, it’s suggestible that many potential customers will be uncomfortable being passed through to the company they’ve purchased their product from. It isn’t clear whether or not goldfisk and follower were able to obtain this user information via the hack, but if so this presents a further security and privacy issue.
We’ve seen stories of many smart products being easily infiltrated by hackers via IoT, so the news that a vibrator can now be added to this ever expanding list is hardly surprising. however, those who have purchased a We-Vibe 4 will be justifiably be unsettled by this news, and owners of smart vibrators in general may pause to consider just how safe their product is to use.
