Cyber criminals target data on smart devices

Smartphones, watches, televisions, and fitness trackers could be targeted by cyber criminals seeking to hold users to ransom over their personal data, security chiefs have warned.

The rise of internet-connected devices gives attackers more chances to deploy increasingly confrontational tactics, says a joint report from the British National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency.

It highlights the huge amount of personal information on consumer gadgets which could be exploited by criminals seeking to commit extortion or fraud.