[LINK] Shared or stolen network services in Sidewalk - and Apple AirTag

Chris Johnson Chris.Johnson at anu.edu.au
Thu Jun 3 14:51:20 AEST 2021


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 cwj659 at iinet.net.au




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