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Amazon Rolls Out Sidewalk: Automated Hacking.

Posted on 12th June 2021

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As reported here on Defender Network, Amazon Sidewalk has now been rolled out (on the 8th of June). If you didn't opt out, you already have it. More to the point, your neighbours with Amazon devices (Alexa, Echo, or a Ring Doorbell) also have it, with the option to use your WiFi is theirs is not working, unless you opted out.

"Amazon Sidewalk is a free, shared network to help customers with Amazon devices, Alexa, Echo, Ring doorbell, and security cameras, stay connected even if your wifi is weak or fails. Sidewalk automatically connects customers to the wifi of neighbors who also have Amazon devices."

This is a huge security risk for your home network, opening the door to hacking from your neighbours' networks. Any security measures are only as secure as the weakest link, so your risk is determined by how careful your neighbours have been.

Personally, I am rather paranoid about my network security. This means:

  • I will not have smart Internet-connected devices like Amazon Alexa, Echo, or a Ring doorbell on my network, nor indeed any IoT (Internet of Things) device (Internet-connected TV or refrigerator) on my network:
  • I am picky about who can connect to my WfFi.