You probably don’t know it, but your Alexa-enabled Amazon products are already extending your home network to anyone passing by your home! Unless you opt-out of Amazon Sidewalk, strangers could access your internet connection without you ever knowing!
Just want to see how to opt-out of Amazon Sidewalk? Learn how!
What is Amazon Sidewalk?
Bezos and co. have come up with the “brilliant” idea of creating a mesh network from your current Alexa devices to ensure your devices stay connected even outside your home. The idea is to extend network coverage “all the way to the sidewalk.”Â
Amazon claims that there will be a “triple-layer of encryption” for data on the mesh network, but when pressed for information, hasn’t provided any more answers. While the wireless transfer rate is capped at 80Kbps and a total of 500MB, it could still serve as a doorway for malicious hackers. Additionally, anyone on a metered connection could be on the hook for half of a gigabyte of data that they didn’t use!
How Amazon’s Mesh Network Works
In a traditional wireless network, your router broadcasts the network signal from one place. As the signal travels further, it gets weaker, eventually becoming too weak to use. In the past, users could extend the signal by setting up a repeater. However, doing so comes at a cost—every time the signal was repeated, it became half as fast.
Enter mesh network technology. Amazon uses its many devices to re-broadcast your network to other Amazon devices via a proprietary technology called LoRa (long range). While this is different from how a normal mesh network operates, it uses the same principle—every Alexa device becomes a node for other Alexa devices, attempting to connect them to the internet even if the signal from your router wouldn’t normally reach that far.
Privacy Concerns of Amazon Sidewalk
Of course, nothing ever goes as planned. So, while Amazon claims that they are taking measures to ensure data safety, others are not so sure. The International Business Times reports that hacking expert Chris Hadnagy said,Â
“Hackers are going to have a field day looking for the vulnerabilities here…I’m having a hard time with the pros, to be honest as a security professional. Now someone who is sitting out on the sidewalk can access your cameras and see your family? See your kids? Your daughter walking around the house?”
If a hacker were able to breach the Amazon Sidewalk security implemented on their LoRa network, the hacker could have full access to your data and devices. From there, they could access your bank account details, put malware on your computer, or turn your entire network into a Botnet. This could all happen in the blink of an eye, just as a stranger walks past your home!
Meanwhile, the security features available on most consumer routers are underwhelming, leaving users exposed. In addition, many home users never bother updating the default firmware on their router, leaving their network open for hackers to exploit any bugs that may have been patched in later versions of the firmware. And, even if users have auto-updates on, some router manufacturers don’t provide support for models for very long.
Another thing to think about is how your ISP will treat the data that Sidewalk uses. With net neutrality gone, it’s possible that your provider may decide to charge more for traffic generated by users on your Sidewalk network. Â
Can I Opt-Out of Amazon Sidewalk?
The short answer is, yes. However, opting out of Amazon Sidewalk is not the simplest task. First, there is no way to do it on the Amazon Website. Amazon forces you to download the Alexa App, and agree to their terms and conditions. Unfortunately, this could lead to more privacy concerns as the T&C are always convoluted, who knows what’s really in there?
How to Opt-Out of Amazon Sidewalk
Here’s a Step-By-Step guide to disable Amazon Sidewalk:
- Download and open the Alexa App on your mobile device
- Click “More” and open “Settings
- Click “Account Settings”
- Select “Amazon Sidewalk”
- Finally, turn Amazon Sidewalk off for your account
Make Sure Your Router Can Help Keep Hackers Out
If you’re worried about your data, don’t leave it to your off-the-shelf router to help you. Most people leave in default firmware and never update it, leaving it open to any network backdoors or flaws that have been discovered.
A FlashRouter comes pre-configured with open-source DD-WRT firmware, which addresses bugs in stock firmware, offers better network stability, and gives you full VPN customizatiown. Join the router revolution and keep your Wi-Fi protected from malicious hackers!
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Our routers are shipped ready to keep people from hacking your Wi-Fi signal. These are some of our customer favorites:
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