As the capabilities of wearables increase, so do the risks associated with their use. These devices are potential gateways for cybercriminals, especially when linked to smartphones that access corporate networks or sensitive data.

Security concerns can be broadly categorized into three areas:

• Cybersecurity Risks: Devices may transmit unencrypted data, creating vulnerabilities that can be exploited to access emails, contacts, geolocation data, and sensitive business information.
• Physical Risks: Faulty hardware may lead to bodily injuries (e.g., battery overheating or malfunction).
• Technology Errors and Omissions: Software bugs or failures may disrupt operations, especially in business-critical scenarios.

For individual users, key concerns include:

• Lack of encryption and authentication.
• Easy physical access to unprotected data.
• Insecure wireless protocols.
• Overreach of data collection by third-party apps.

For businesses:

• Risk of signal interception, especially if employees connect devices to corporate networks.
• Possibility of corporate espionage via data harvesting.
• Non-compliance with regulatory standards, which could result in penalties even if the wearable device is the weak point.