More on AirTag and Sidewalk in The Conversation May 17 by Paul
Haskell-Dowland, Computing and Security, Edith Cowan University.
Remember, Apple AirTags and ‘Find My’ app only work because of a vast,
largely covert tracking network
https://theconversation.com/remember-apple-airtags-and-find-my-app-only-work-because-of-a-vast-largely-covert-tracking-network-160781
Chris Johnson
On 1/6/21 8:12 pm, Chris Johnson wrote:
Amazon's Sidewalk is about to borrow/steal some people's bandwidth to
report on someone else's behalf. It is capped at 500 MB per month - 10
minutes video. This is not small when you want to cap your outdoor use
to a few gig or less.
Apple's AirTag system also steals internet access from passers-by. As
well as appearing to enable gross invasion of privacy and stalking
other people by the physical AirTag that may be placed in an ignorant
other person's belongings, it use other people's connections to report
its location back to the original owner by piggybacking on any other
Apple device in the vicinity, possibly owned and paid for by a third
fourth or fifth party.
In the Apple description "you" and "your" refer to the AirTag's
original owner - not the person whose backpack or car into which it
may have been slipped. If they do not have another Apple device on
them they do not get intruder alerts until "after a while".
"AirTag is a supereasy way to keep track of your stuff. Attach one to
your keys, slip another in your backpack. And just like that, they’re
on your radar in the Find My app, where you can also track down your
Apple devices and keep up with friends and family."
"Your AirTag sends out a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected
by nearby devices in the Find My network. These devices send the
location of your AirTag to iCloud — then you can go to the Find My app
and see it on a map. The whole process is anonymous and encrypted to
protect your privacy."
"AirTag is designed to discourage unwanted tracking. If someone else’s
AirTag finds its way into your stuff, your iPhone will notice it’s
traveling with you and send you an alert. After a while, if you still
haven’t found it, the AirTag will start playing a sound to let you
know it’s there."
< https://www.apple.com/airtag/ >
Reportedly [The Guardian] the alert comes quite briefly, quietly, and
only after some days. The unsuspecting trackee may have been tracked
for three days and may miss hearing the little device which is still
reporting their location to the AirTag's owner.
Stephen Loosley wrote on Mon, 31 May 2021 07:16:32 +0000
Subject: [LINK] WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
If you use Alexa, Echo, or any other Amazon device, you have only 10
days to opt out of an experiment that leaves your personal privacy
and security hanging in the balance.
On June 8, the merchant, Web host, and entertainment behemoth will
automatically enroll the devices in Amazon Sidewalk.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/05/amazon-devices-will-soon-automatically-share-your-internet-with-neighbors/
The new wireless mesh service will share a small slice of your
Internet bandwidth with nearby neighbors who don?t have connectivity
and help you to their bandwidth when you don?t have a connection.
By default, Amazon devices including Alexa, Echo, Ring, security
cams, outdoor lights, motion sensors, and Tile trackers will enroll
in the system.
And since only a tiny fraction of people take the time to change
default settings, that means millions of people will be co-opted into
the program whether they know anything about it or not.
The Amazon webpage linked above says Sidewalk "is currently only
available in the US."
The webpage also states:
What is Amazon Sidewalk?
Amazon Sidewalk is a shared network that helps devices work better.
Operated by Amazon at no charge to customers, Sidewalk can help
simplify new device setup, extend the low-bandwidth working range of
devices to help find pets or valuables with Tile trackers, and help
devices stay online even if they are outside the range of their home
wifi. In the future, Sidewalk will support a range of experiences
from using Sidewalk-enabled devices, such as smart security and
lighting and diagnostics for appliances and tools.
How will Amazon Sidewalk impact my personal wireless bandwidth and
data usage?
The maximum bandwidth of a Sidewalk Bridge to the Sidewalk server is
80Kbps, which is about 1/40th of the bandwidth used to stream a
typical high definition video. Today, when you share your Bridge?s
connection with Sidewalk, total monthly data used by Sidewalk, per
account, is capped at 500MB, which is equivalent to streaming about
10 minutes of high definition video.
Why should I participate in Amazon Sidewalk?
Amazon Sidewalk helps your devices get connected and stay connected.
For example, if your Echo device loses its wifi connection, Sidewalk
can simplify reconnecting to your router. For select Ring devices,
you can continue to receive motion alerts from your Ring Security
Cams and customer support can still troubleshoot problems even if
your devices lose their wifi connection. Sidewalk can also extend the
working range for your Sidewalk-enabled devices, such as Ring smart
lights, pet locators or smart locks, so they can stay connected and
continue to work over longer distances.
etc.
--
Chris Johnson PhD MACS CP MIEEE
Honorary Associate Professor
Research School of Computing, Australian National University
p 02 6282 1993 m 0401 498 684
e [email protected]
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