Posted on 05/30/2021 3:26:34 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
If you use Alexa, Echo, or any other Amazon device, you have only 10 days to opt out of an experiment that leaves your personal privacy and security hanging in the balance.
On June 8, the merchant, Web host, and entertainment behemoth will automatically enroll the devices in Amazon Sidewalk. The new wireless mesh service will share a small slice of your Internet bandwidth with nearby neighbors who don’t have connectivity and help you to their bandwidth when you don’t have a connection.
By default, Amazon devices including Alexa, Echo, Ring, security cams, outdoor lights, motion sensors, and Tile trackers will enroll in the system. And since only a tiny fraction of people take the time to change default settings, that means millions of people will be co-opted into the program whether they know anything about it or not.
Amazon has published a white paper detailing the technical underpinnings and service terms that it says will protect the privacy and security of this bold undertaking. To be fair, the paper is fairly comprehensive, and so far no one has pointed out specific flaws that undermine the encryption or other safeguards being put in place. But there are enough theoretical risks to give users pause.
Wireless technologies like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth have a history of being insecure. Remember WEP, the encryption scheme that protected Wi-Fi traffic from being monitored by nearby parties? It was widely used for four years before researchers exposed flaws that made decrypting data relatively easy for attackers. WPA, the technology that replaced WEP, is much more robust, but it also has a checkered
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Will this include their apps? I have Amazon shopping and Amazon music. I’ll shitcan them in a minute if it does.
Once upon a time I thought one of those devices could be handy.
Now I won’t have one in my home. I have a washer/dryer that *CAN* connect to the internet, but they don’t have the internal password, so they are not allowed online.
This is as creepy as I can imagine, and I’m sure it will get even more intrusive.
Thank you for posting this.
All you bandwidth are belong to us!
We got a free set of Alexa’s from the builder 2 years ago.
They are safely ensconced in my attic gathering dust.
You know when it really gets creepy? When you shoes will have embedded chips and they can track all your movements. If there is a mistress involved, best to wear old shoes or go barefoot.
I suppose amazon could do deep packet analysis on any traffic passing through its devices
Sure there have been attacks on wireless security, and routers with bad firmware
and yes there are full linux distros like Kali which help ensure your wireless connections are up to snuff.
This does not mean that Amazon is a bad actor here.
or maybe Jeff is sitting in the cockpit of a Blue origin ship stroking a fluffy white pussy cat while cackling Maniacally about his most recent secret govt project payment
Only certain models will do this, I have a Amazon Alexa that is several years old and will not work on Sidewalks. I keep it off unless in use.
If they are dumb as Siri you just put Joe Biden’s iq in you attic.
“Siri, kill Alexa!”
Sent Alexa back 2 years ago because it began to sound creepy to us after 2 years of VERY limited use....which we enjoyed, by the way.
Thanks for posting this and making us realize that we made the right decision.
I've read of hackers gaining access to homes through like devices. One was the refrigerator and the other was the fish tank heater. Hackers have way more time on their hands than is prudent. I have to not only logon and use my password but have the company give me a text code to type in for me to pay my bill online. I'm thinking, like somebody else is going to hack in and pay my bill for me? But one can't be too secure. No Alexas or Siris for me.
I received an Amazon tablet as a gift a few years ago.
I had played around with it a bit until it decided to start talking in the middle of the night.
Haven’t turned it on since.
I’m fairly techie and like my gadgets but I will not own a google, MS or amazon talking or automation gadget. The only thing that connects to wifi here are PCs and my wife’s cell phone and that’s bad enough. I bought a new TV a few years ago and made a point of not getting a Smart TV.
Then yourself and Bill Gates. Oh, and his buttbuddies. 🤣 Thanks.
Keep all of these IOT devices on another separate network. That involves setting up and maintaining another router. Unghhh. Easier to just say no.
I make great and frequent use of Alexa at home. Anything I have to say that I don’t want shared is done outdoors, away from all electronics and only with those I trust most.
I don’t know what you are babbling about.
The Amazon device gets your encryption/password when you connect it to your WIFI. It happily transmits all of this to Amazon once it gets on the Internet. You agree to the Terms and Conditions to use your new, shiny toy. End of story.
Not the end. The chips are all made in Chy-na and are fully open to the CCP.
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