Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has issued a new advisory urging Garmin users to check their privacy settings to avoid inadvertently sharing sensitive health and location data. With the growing use of smartwatches and fitness trackers for health and activity tracking, privacy concerns around data sharing have become more prominent.
According to Kaspersky, Garmin’s ecosystem—especially through the Garmin Connect app and website—may default to public or semi-public visibility for user activities and profiles. This means that details such as location history, heart rate data, sleep patterns, and routes could be exposed to unintended third parties if privacy settings are not manually adjusted.
Features like LiveTrack and GroupTrack, which allow real-time sharing of your location with friends and family, could also pose a privacy risk if misconfigured. In addition, Garmin’s integration with third-party apps and services could further increase the chances of oversharing if permissions are not regularly reviewed.
Kaspersky recommends users take the following steps to protect their data:
- Set activities, profile, and connections visibility to “Private” or “Connections only.”
- Disable real-time tracking features unless needed.
- Review and manage third-party app connections.
- Check and update privacy settings via both the Garmin Connect app and website.
Kaspersky stresses that while Garmin devices offer powerful tools for fitness and health, users should stay aware of what data is being shared—and with whom. As wearables become increasingly common, managing digital privacy is more important than ever.