Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Amazon Sidewalk starts sharing your WiFi tomorrow, thanks - Malwarebytes Labs (blog.malwarebytes.com)
submitted by RapperNev
RapperNev [OP] 6 points 2y ago
Apologies if this may have been mention here before but I think this is important, I myself don't use any smart assistants but I know a lot of blind folks do. And unfortunately with the increased convenience of some of these devices and with the help I'm sure they give a lot of people they also allow for data/money hungry corporations to have access to your personal data and implement changes without you even knowing about them.
Obviously we all have a phone in our pocket that tracks everywhere we go but I'm not going to sit here and just let this kind of shit be normalized. Hell no.
Obviously we all have a phone in our pocket that tracks everywhere we go but I'm not going to sit here and just let this kind of shit be normalized. Hell no.
CosmicBunny97 2 points 2y ago
You can turn the feature off
WhatWouldVaderDo 4 points 2y ago
May I suggest that people become informed about this issue before deciding if they want to disable it? I’m happy with the privacy built in to the protocol and think there are more benefits than potential drawbacks.
For what this is and a deep dive into the security of the system, the podcast SecurityNow episode 796 gives a good explanation.
Audio: https://media.grc.com/sn/sn-796.mp3
Text Transcript: https://www.grc.com/sn/sn-796.htm
For what this is and a deep dive into the security of the system, the podcast SecurityNow episode 796 gives a good explanation.
Audio: https://media.grc.com/sn/sn-796.mp3
Text Transcript: https://www.grc.com/sn/sn-796.htm
RapperNev [OP] 1 points 2y ago
What you choose to do is your personal business. I just posted it here because I felt it was an important thing to make more known, as it is possible current/future owners of Amazon smart assistants may not be aware of it. Its not like they sent out any emails.To each their own but I don't care if someone's internet goes out, or if the bandwidth is controlled or data is capped, I don't want or need anyone leaching off of my internet. People already have to put up with enough bullshit dealing with the data caps from ISPs over a bandwidth constraint that doesn't even exist. All thanks to net neutrality being repealed. I use my internet for important shit. I'm a power user. Also, just because it may be a secure protocol doesn't really entice me to just let it be. I'm going to school for IT, and though I don't know everything the Malwarebytes blog clearly documents the many overhauls WiFi protocols have went through over the last 20 years. We've been down similar roads before in regards to privacy issues, especially with Windows 10. I stuck with Windows 7 until I literally couldn't anymore.Sorry if I sound angry here its not directed at you personally.
WhatWouldVaderDo 3 points 2y ago
Everyone must do what they feel is right, of course. I am just expressing my opinion and sharing information.
Good luck with the school work.
Good luck with the school work.
RapperNev [OP] 1 points 2y ago
I get you. All good. Thanks BTW!
Altie-McAltface 3 points 2y ago
This is terrible. Most people won't know this is going on. My network is *my* network. I pay for it, and I don't want a single frame passing through it without my permission. Most ISPs these days cap monthly usage (Mine is a terabyte). Xfinity isn't going to waive data generated in this manner from counting toward the cap.
It's bad enough that companies have gotten us used to the idea that IoT and home automation requires that every product phone home to even work. It would be trivial to build the functionality required for home automation into a router. Data doesn't have to leave the network at all if you're already on the LAN, and can go directly from you to your home when you're not on your LAN. Slap a friendly GUI front end on there and automatically open relevant ports on the firewall, and you're done. But no, GE absolutely has to know when I do my laundry.
It's bad enough that companies have gotten us used to the idea that IoT and home automation requires that every product phone home to even work. It would be trivial to build the functionality required for home automation into a router. Data doesn't have to leave the network at all if you're already on the LAN, and can go directly from you to your home when you're not on your LAN. Slap a friendly GUI front end on there and automatically open relevant ports on the firewall, and you're done. But no, GE absolutely has to know when I do my laundry.
RapperNev [OP] 2 points 2y ago
This is what I'm saying. We already know Alexas record snippets of random noise its mics pick up and send them to Amazon. I myself personally don't use any smart assistants or home automation. Sure I'm doing more things manually but with the right to repair slipping farther and farther down the drain I'd rather not depend on something that I can't fix myself, which is the majority of modern electronics.
goldfingas 2 points 2y ago
Thanks for this.
RapperNev [OP] 1 points 2y ago
NP!
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