Amazon announced it’s new Sidewalk network protocol at last week’s TechCruch. Amazon Sidewalk uses the 900MHz frequency spectrum and allows devices to be connected at ranges extending to half a mile!
The Amazon Blog stated, “Today, Ring Smart Lighting Bridges use connections in this spectrum to extend the range of smart lighting products, and soon additional devices including the latest generation Ring Floodlight Camera and Ring Spotlight Camera will also help customers extend the network connections around their homes and control those 900 MHz devices at much greater distances.”
Some are concerned about security and I think that’s warranted.
Engin Kirda, a professor of computer science at Northeastern University, said, “Every time a company provides a service involving wireless signals […] they can also track the geolocation of users […]”.
He’s right. We’ve seen it hundreds of times. As a technology becomes increasingly commonplace, so does the hacking of that technology and the data it collects.
Here are some additional information resources:
- The Amazon Blog, DayOne: Introducing Amazon Sidewalk
- TechCrunch: Amazon Sidewalk is a new long-range wireless network for your stuff
- CNET: Amazon Sidewalk extends your network range, but security is already in question
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