4 ms·

Can't you do lost of those things by sending encrypted data to Amazon, and getting back the encrypted data from them? They act as a storage in most cases, not a

by neiman 6y ago

Can't you do lost of those things by sending encrypted data to Amazon, and getting back the encrypted data from them? They act as a storage in most cases, not as a server, no?

falcolas 6y ago
You'd have to figure out some kind of secure key sharing mechanism between phones, tablets, web browsers, and e-readers. Or, you can trust that a position in a book (bookmarks, notes, etc.) is not sensitive information that really needs to be encrypted. This is my - perhaps overly pragmatic - position.
- criddell 6y ago
  I think the books you read and your annotations should definitely be protected. Imagine reading about Tienanmen Square in China.
  - falcolas 6y ago
    Simply purchasing/owning a book on that topic would be enough for an oppressive government like China, they wouldn't need to know where in the book you were exactly.
    - criddell 6y ago
      Some books sold in China are edited for that market. If you highlight a passage that shouldn't be in your book, you could be in trouble.
      - deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
- neiman 6y ago
  If I can't think of a way to abuse me by having my data, it doesn't mean that someone else doesn't. I would really rather avoid all this discussion by them not having my data to begin with.
  - falcolas 6y ago
    If you know of an alternative that offers client-side encrypted sync, I'd love to hear it. I'm considering alternatives to the Kindle as well, even if for reasons unrelated to the analytics.
    - neiman 6y ago
      I wish I'd knew:-)
- gambler 6y ago
  >You'd have to figure out some kind of secure key sharing mechanism between phones, tablets, web browsers, and e-readers. Yeah, it's not like Amazon can afford security experts to work on this or anything. >Or, you can trust that a position in a book (bookmarks, notes, etc.) is not sensitive information that really needs to be encrypted. This is an ignorant position that has been proven wrong over, and over, and over again. Private data should be secure by default, because otherwise eventually someone will figure out how to abuse it. This is a lesson form bazillion fraud schemes and social engineering hacks everyone in tech should have learned by now.
  - jacobr1 6y ago
    I've been thinking about PII in this context. If all data is secured by default, then the identification of PII is not about deciding to secure that data, it is about identifying where we might impose (and often this isn't required, but now we can consider it) additional UX burden or complexity in order to add _additional_ security.
  - dahfizz 6y ago
    Amazon could also afford to fill the Panama canal with dirt and reunite the American continents, but why would they? A dozen angry (potential) customers on HN is hardly motivation.
paxys 6y ago
The data is encrypted.
- neiman 6y ago
  Encrypted between me and Amazon (such that Amazon could see the content), or encrypted between my devices such that Amazon can't see the content (but only the encrypted form)?

by neiman 6y ago

Can't you do lost of those things by sending encrypted data to Amazon, and getting back the encrypted data from them? They act as a storage in most cases, not as a server, no?

falcolas 6y ago

You'd have to figure out some kind of secure key sharing mechanism between phones, tablets, web browsers, and e-readers. Or, you can trust that a position in a book (bookmarks, notes, etc.) is not sensitive information that really needs to be encrypted. This is my - perhaps overly pragmatic - position.

criddell 6y ago
I think the books you read and your annotations should definitely be protected. Imagine reading about Tienanmen Square in China.
- falcolas 6y ago
  Simply purchasing/owning a book on that topic would be enough for an oppressive government like China, they wouldn't need to know where in the book you were exactly.
  - criddell 6y ago
    Some books sold in China are edited for that market. If you highlight a passage that shouldn't be in your book, you could be in trouble.
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
neiman 6y ago
If I can't think of a way to abuse me by having my data, it doesn't mean that someone else doesn't. I would really rather avoid all this discussion by them not having my data to begin with.
- falcolas 6y ago
  If you know of an alternative that offers client-side encrypted sync, I'd love to hear it. I'm considering alternatives to the Kindle as well, even if for reasons unrelated to the analytics.
  - neiman 6y ago
    I wish I'd knew:-)
gambler 6y ago
>You'd have to figure out some kind of secure key sharing mechanism between phones, tablets, web browsers, and e-readers. Yeah, it's not like Amazon can afford security experts to work on this or anything. >Or, you can trust that a position in a book (bookmarks, notes, etc.) is not sensitive information that really needs to be encrypted. This is an ignorant position that has been proven wrong over, and over, and over again. Private data should be secure by default, because otherwise eventually someone will figure out how to abuse it. This is a lesson form bazillion fraud schemes and social engineering hacks everyone in tech should have learned by now.
- jacobr1 6y ago
  I've been thinking about PII in this context. If all data is secured by default, then the identification of PII is not about deciding to secure that data, it is about identifying where we might impose (and often this isn't required, but now we can consider it) additional UX burden or complexity in order to add _additional_ security.
- dahfizz 6y ago
  Amazon could also afford to fill the Panama canal with dirt and reunite the American continents, but why would they? A dozen angry (potential) customers on HN is hardly motivation.

paxys 6y ago

The data is encrypted.

neiman 6y ago
Encrypted between me and Amazon (such that Amazon could see the content), or encrypted between my devices such that Amazon can't see the content (but only the encrypted form)?