The lure of remote-controlled intimacy gadgets isn’t hard to understand. Whether you’re in a long-distance relationship or just like the convenience, these devices have taken the market by storm.
According to a 2023 study commissioned by the U.K.’s Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), these toys are some of the most vulnerable consumer IoT products.
And while a vibrating smart egg or a remotely controlled chastity belt might sound futuristic, the risks involved are decidedly dystopian.
Forbes’ Davey Winder flagged the issue four years ago when hackers locked users into a chastity device, demanding a ransom to unlock it.
Fast forward to now, and the warnings are louder than ever. Researchers led by Dr. Mark Cote found multiple vulnerabilities in these devices, primarily those relying on Bluetooth connectivity.
Alarmingly, many of these connections lack encryption, leaving the door wide open for malicious third parties.
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A TechCrunch exposé revealed that a security researcher breached a chastity device’s database containing over 10,000 users’ information. That was back in June, and the manufacturer still hasn’t addressed the issue.
In another incident, users of the CellMate connected chastity belt reported hackers demanding $750 in bitcoin to unlock devices. Fortunately, one man who spoke to Vice hadn’t been wearing his when the attack happened. Small mercies, right?
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And let’s not forget: IoT toys are multiplying faster than anyone can track, with websites like Internet of Dongs monitoring the surge.
I see how it could be a problem with a chastity device, but for most bog standard vibrators I fail to see any potential harm. Like, if I've got my rabbit vibe connected to my phone it's gonna be with the express intent of having it vibrate, innit? The worst thing a hacker could do is just make my Nora stop while I'm jilling off with it.
"Jilling off" I'm dead
I fail to see how any chastity device could be strong enough to be a real problem. I mean, what if the batteries die? There's surely a manual release
Plus, what is it made of? You can just rip apart most electronic locks
The bigger issue is the personal data