As we put more and more things on our home networks they become more vulnerable to compromise. From cameras, to smart speakers, thermostats, microwaves, to electric cars, the number of devices seems to be increasing every year, and they all need internet access. That means your home network has a myriad of devices, all of which have different privacy settings, and different organizations managing their security. And most are controlled by apps that communicate with a resource outside of your home network to talk with a device that is on your home network. Yes, it's a complicated mess, and what makes it worse are companies that share your network credentials with others. It is happening.
Enter Amazon Sidewalk: This feature set to go live on June 8th covers all Amazon connected devices, which include Ring Doorbells & Cameras, Echo Smart Speakers, and others. It effectively allows other devices access to your network. Yes, you read that correctly. Sidewalk "shares" your network credentials so that other devices may use your internet connection. And yes, Amazon speaks at length about encryption, and blah blah blah, but at the end of the day they are sharing your internet connection with devices that aren't yours that you haven't authorized to be either on your network or using your internet connection and bandwidth. What's worse is that this feature is enabled by default, meaning that you need to turn it off if you want to opt out. Here are links on how to disable this feature:
Sorry to say, but security isn't just about managing passwords anymore. Your home network has now become the front line in the war against privacy. If you have a piece of tape on your computer's camera, then you should be concerned enough about privacy and security to seriously look at what devices you allow to be installed on your network. It is not an easy task these days. From pool pumps, to water heaters, sprinklers, lighting, and security systems, they are all connected. The only thing I ask is that you don't read this article out loud -- your smart speaker is listening.
