Amazon Admits Hackers Could Turn Echo Speakers into Listening Devices
One month ago, a wide swath of the US population – most of which is a card-carrying member of the Amazon Prime collective – freaked out when news spread that that Alexa-enabled gadgets would utter an unprovoked “bone-chillingly creepy” cackle or “sinister laugh.”
So Alexa decided to laugh randomly while I was in the kitchen. Freaked @SnootyJuicer and I out. I thought a kid was laughing behind me. pic.twitter.com/6dblzkiQHp
— CaptHandlebar (@CaptHandlebar) February 23, 2018
Shortly after, Amazon confirmed that Alexa was indeed laughing out of the blue, and promptly fixed whatever glitch was plaguing the matrix at the time.
Yet while bizarre and sinister, the incidents were largely innocuous.
That however was not the case with the latest bug uncovered in Amazon’s Echo which allowed hackers to listen in to the speaker, a privilege which until recently, most speculated was only granted to Amazon… and the NSA of course.
Amazon Echo speakers
According to The Telegraph, researchers had found a way to make the the Echo Speakers continue listening long after they should have been switched off. Amazon countered that this would not allow the recordings to be passed to hackers, but would have stayed with Amazon itself.
The way the Amazon Echo speakers work is they listen for the word “Alexa” before completing a command, like “Alexa, read tell me today’s news”. Any interaction with Alexa is recorded to improve the service, but once the command is finished, Alexa stops recording. At least on paper, because security researchers from Checkmarx developed an Alexa Skill that would keep Alexa listening long after it should have switched itself off and automatically transcribe what it hears for an attacker.
When an Alexa skill completes its task it is supposed to stop listening. However, sometimes Alexa doesn’t hear a command correctly, which will lead the Echo to ask for the user to repeat it. This “re-prompt” feature could be exploited, the researchers found, and be programmed to carry on listening, while muting Alexa’s responses.
“For the Echo… listening is key,” Checkmarx said. “However, with this device’s rise in popularity, one of today’s biggest fears in connection to such devices is privacy. Especially when it comes to a user’s fear of being unknowingly recorded.”
The good news: Amazon has since addressed the flaw to better detect Skills which appear to be built for listening to users and automatically detecting long listening sessions by an Echo. Manipulating the Echo didn’t actually require any attacks on the Echo itself, only a Skill coded to exploit its current features.
“We have put mitigations in place for detecting this type of Skill behavior and reject or suppress those Skills when we do,” Amazon said.
The bad news: if others can do it, so can Amazon, and so can all other agencies, governmental or not, which Jeff Bezos is closely aligned with. And if Americans freaked out when they learned that Facebook collects all their private information – something that should have been obvious to 5-year-olds – we can’t wait for the Congressional hearings in 2-4 years when the Kangaroo Court will have Jeff Bezos in the hot seat explaining how and why he wired tens of millions of Americans with 24/7 surveillance, something not even the NSA has been able to do.
Source: http://silveristhenew.com/2018/04/27/amazon-admits-hackers-could-turn-echo-speakers-into-listening-devices/
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Whistler Blowers, Insiders
It doesn’t take “hackers”. It is already a listening device for the NSA and google et al
Right, if they admit hackers can do this it has to have a backdoor used by fugly government organizations. Most likely it is hardwired right in to the system and can’t be gotten rid of. These are not accidents, these computerized devices are specifically built to spy by design. Computers should come with the operating system in a plug in rom pack that cannot be written. The designers and programmers should be held accountable in courts. They go tax free or some other perk to play ball with these government sleaze.
It is time……..bring back wealth to the storefronts of America, STOP the USPSINC subsidy to HAMAZON BE GONE …. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw7gNf_9njs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_(company)
“Goodbye JeffHamazonbegonBezos”
Mary Anne and Wanda were the best of friends
All through their high school days
Both members of the 4H Club
Both active in the FFA
After graduation Mary Anne went out
lookin’ for a bright new world
Wanda looked all around this town
and all she found was JeffHamazonbegonBezos
Well, it wasn’t two weeks
after she got married that
Wanda started gettin’ abused
She put on dark glasses
and long sleeved blouses
And make-up to cover her bruise
Well, she finally got the nerve to file for divorce
She let the law take it from there
But JeffHamazonbegonBezos walked right through that restraining order
And put her in intensive care
Right away Mary Anne flew in from Atlanta
On a red eye midnight flight
She held Wanda’s hand and they worked out a plan
And it didn’t take them long to decide
That JeffHamazonbegonBezos had to die
Goodbye, JeffHamazonbegonBezos
Those black-eyed peas?
They tasted all right to me, JeffHamazonbegonBezos
You’re feeling weak?
Why don’t you lay down and sleep, JeffHamazonbegonBezos
Ain’t it dark?
Wrapped up in that tarp, JeffHamazonbegonBezos
The cops came by to bring JeffHamazonbegonBezos in
They searched the house high and low
Then they tipped their hats
and said “Thank You, ladies, if you hear from him let us know”
Well, the weeks went by and spring turned to summer
And summer faded into fall
And it turns out he was a missing person
who nobody missed at all
So the girls bought some land
and a roadside stand
Out on Highway 109
They sell Tennessee ham
and strawberry jam,
And they don’t lose any sleep at night
‘Cause JeffHamazonbegonBezos had to die
Goodbye JeffHamazonbegonBezos
We need a break
Let’s go out to the lake, JeffHamazonbegonBezos
We’ll pack a lunch
And stuff you in the trunk, JeffHamazonbegonBezos
Well, is that all right?
Good! Let’s go for a ride, JeffHamazonbegonBezos.
Hey
Well, hey hey hey
Ah, hey hey hey
Well, hey hey hey
“Goodbye JeffHamazonbegonBezos”
Mary Anne and Wanda were the best of friends
All through their high school days
Both members of the 4H Club
Both active in the FFA
After graduation Mary Anne went out
lookin’ for a bright new world
Wanda looked all around this town
and all she found was JeffHamazonbegonBezos
Well, it wasn’t two weeks
after she got married that
Wanda started gettin’ abused
She put on dark glasses
and long sleeved blouses
And make-up to cover her bruise
Well, she finally got the nerve to file for divorce
She let the law take it from there
But JeffHamazonbegonBezos walked right through that restraining order
And put her in intensive care
Right away Mary Anne flew in from Atlanta
On a red eye midnight flight
She held Wanda’s hand and they worked out a plan
And it didn’t take them long to decide
That JeffHamazonbegonBezos had to die
Goodbye, JeffHamazonbegonBezos
Those black-eyed peas?
They tasted all right to me, JeffHamazonbegonBezos
You’re feeling weak?
Why don’t you lay down and sleep, JeffHamazonbegonBezos
Ain’t it dark?
Wrapped up in that tarp, JeffHamazonbegonBezos
The cops came by to bring JeffHamazonbegonBezos in
They searched the house high and low
Then they tipped their hats
and said “Thank You, ladies, if you hear from him let us know”
Well, the weeks went by and spring turned to summer
And summer faded into fall
And it turns out he was a missing person
who nobody missed at all
So the girls bought some land
and a roadside stand
Out on Highway 109
They sell Tennessee ham
and strawberry jam,
And they don’t lose any sleep at night
‘Cause JeffHamazonbegonBezos had to die
Goodbye JeffHamazonbegonBezos
We need a break
Let’s go out to the lake, JeffHamazonbegonBezos
We’ll pack a lunch
And stuff you in the trunk, JeffHamazonbegonBezos
Well, is that all right?
Good! Let’s go for a ride, JeffHamazonbegonBezos.
Hey
Well, hey hey hey
Ah, hey hey hey
Well, hey hey hey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw7gNf_9njs