Cyber threats may be lurking in a rather scandalous and unsuspecting place – in Bluetooth and remote controlled sex toys.

In a research paper commissioned by the UK Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation, the government has warned that Bluetooth-connected and ‘smart’ sex toys can be hacked by threat actors, leading to data theft and even over-heating of devices.

Bluetooth connection of sex toys to companion apps, which can let users control devices remotely, can leave sensitive data vulnerable to hacking. The research noted that these connections are often not encrypted, leaving them “more vulnerable to interceptions from malicious third parties.”

The review, which was first published in March 2023, reviewed devices ranging from fitness trackers to children’s toys, though its review of the dangers of sex toys has ushered renewed interest.

The review said that overall, sex toys have a “clear capacity to inflict physical and psychological harm onto unknowing consumers” over its many attack surfaces.

The physical harms include the warning that hackers can infiltrate these vulnerabilities and take control of the sex toys, leading them to potentially overheat, malfunction, or lock.

On top of this, hacking into partnered applications can leave vulnerable personal and sensitive information, potentially exposing user’s sexual habits or preferences.

While the DSIT paper does say that Bluetooth poses a major threat to sex toy users, critics of the paper have said that this risk is overblown.

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“The range of BLE [Bluetooth Low Energy] is up to 100 metres. The number of people walking around with the desire and motivation to hijack remotely controlled sex toys to overheat them is…not high,” James Bore, a publisher at Security Blend Books, posted on LinkedIn.

The threat of hacking to associated apps with lacklustre security guards, however, is more of a plausible risk, though it is my no means unique to the world of sex toys.

Smart and Internet of Things devices overall pose major security threats if their connections are not kept secure, as the number of connection points tends to only increase the cyber vulnerability surface.

For those concerned about the potential hacking of their sex toys, however, it is worth reconsidering whether using associated apps is necessary to fully enjoy themselves.