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not to defend Amazon or anything, but are we sure this is actually sharing your internet connection? the way i understand it is that this would be strictly Amaz

not to defend Amazon or anything, but are we sure this is actually sharing your internet connection? the way i understand it is that this would be strictly Amazon devices and strictly for control traffic (ie reboot/configure your device). It shouldn’t be possible to straight up browse the web or download whatever. I may be terribly wrong. Also, this does not excuse the fact that they made it opt out. If it was opt in and new devices came with it... maybe...

Firerouge 5y ago
It might just be Amazon control traffic initially, but who's to say in time someone won't publish a TCP tunnel over the Alexa protocol project on github
thayne 5y ago
Even if it is just control traffic, it still uses up your bandwidth, and is additional surface area for a malicious actor to attack your network.
- rantwasp 5y ago
  i’m not advocating for it. i think it’s terrible. i’m just pointing out that maybe we are misrepresenting what this is. also, as far as illegal traffic and stuff: if the traffic goes through the amazon device, wouldn’t the isp see traffic that goes only go random amazon datacenter ? at that point they would ask amazon about it (hopefully) and do their homework.
  - KeepFlying 5y ago
    It may go through an Amazon device, but that fact is stripped away as soon as the packet leaves your network. Your router may know it came from your Echo, but your ISP won't have a clue. And even if Amazon is tunneling all traffic now, that may change or someone may find a way to break out of it. And even if law enforcement sees that the traffic is from Sidewalk, our legal system is pretty shit regarding the internet and I bet a dedicated prosecutor would try to get you for aiding a criminal because you technically allowed that access to your network. Look at the legal issues around running TOR exit nodes and the uncertainty there, in a lot of ways this is an opt-out version of that. (though I admit this might be a stretch, but I don't trust the legal system enough to handle this well).
    - rantwasp 5y ago
      i think you misunderstood what i was saying. I was pointing out that the echo talks to the alexa backend. so it’s evil device impersonator -> your device -> isp -> alexa backend

Firerouge 5y ago

It might just be Amazon control traffic initially, but who's to say in time someone won't publish a TCP tunnel over the Alexa protocol project on github

thayne 5y ago

Even if it is just control traffic, it still uses up your bandwidth, and is additional surface area for a malicious actor to attack your network.

rantwasp 5y ago
i’m not advocating for it. i think it’s terrible. i’m just pointing out that maybe we are misrepresenting what this is. also, as far as illegal traffic and stuff: if the traffic goes through the amazon device, wouldn’t the isp see traffic that goes only go random amazon datacenter ? at that point they would ask amazon about it (hopefully) and do their homework.
- KeepFlying 5y ago
  It may go through an Amazon device, but that fact is stripped away as soon as the packet leaves your network. Your router may know it came from your Echo, but your ISP won't have a clue. And even if Amazon is tunneling all traffic now, that may change or someone may find a way to break out of it. And even if law enforcement sees that the traffic is from Sidewalk, our legal system is pretty shit regarding the internet and I bet a dedicated prosecutor would try to get you for aiding a criminal because you technically allowed that access to your network. Look at the legal issues around running TOR exit nodes and the uncertainty there, in a lot of ways this is an opt-out version of that. (though I admit this might be a stretch, but I don't trust the legal system enough to handle this well).
  - rantwasp 5y ago
    i think you misunderstood what i was saying. I was pointing out that the echo talks to the alexa backend. so it’s evil device impersonator -> your device -> isp -> alexa backend