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WHEN AMAZON LAUNCHED[sic] its Amazon Key service last month, it also offered a remedy for anyone—realistically, most people—who might be creeped out that the service gives random strangers unfettered access to your home. That security antidote? An internet-enabled camera called Cloud Cam, designed to sit opposite your door and reassuringly record every Amazon Key delivery.
But now security researchers have demonstrated that with a simple program run from any computer in Wi-Fi range, that camera can be not only disabled but frozen. A viewer watching its live or recorded stream sees only a closed door, even as their actual door is opened and someone slips inside. That attack would potentially enable rogue delivery people to stealthily steal from Amazon customers, or otherwise invade their inner sanctum.
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-key-flaw-let-deliverymen-disable-your-camera/
Previously: Walmart Wants to Deliver Groceries Directly Into Your Fridge
Amazon Wants to Deliver Purchases into Your Home
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Saturday November 18 2017, @04:37PM (9 children)
You don't give anyone access to your stuff unless you - wait for it now - TRUST THEM!!
Do I give unlimited, unsupervised access to my home to the cops? NO! To my neighbor? NO! To a preacher? NO! To a doctor? Again, NO!! So, people are contemplating giving access to their homes to total strangers, who managed to pass whatever background check Amazon runs? Yeah, right. And, ditto for the ex-cashiers and stockboys that Walmart wants to allow into your home.
Dude's got access to your freaking home, and your computer. He can reach out and touch the damned thing. He PWNS YOUR ASS!! (especially if you have a stock of videos of yourself nekkid, getting wild with - whatever you happen to get wild with)
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday November 18 2017, @06:17PM (6 children)
I don't get it. Are you telling me to not let strangers electronically unlock and enter my home while I'm away? What if my package gets stolen??!
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 18 2017, @06:57PM (1 child)
TBH, I think there are better ways of handling the issue. Most of the time when packages are stolen off the doorstep it's because the thief views them as being valuable and they're small enough to pick up and run away with.
In most cases it would make more sense to have a personal Amazon locker on your doorstep connected to something solid. Or possibly, some sort of strap with an alarm if somebody other than the authorized user tried to remove it.
Sure, those aren't perfect, but rather than losing a single box, the Amazon Key system allows you to lose arbitrary things from inside your house if somebody manages to exploit one of these that's already installed.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 18 2017, @10:03PM
Put your garbage in a Amazon box and leave it at the door.
(Score: 2) by edIII on Saturday November 18 2017, @07:25PM (3 children)
That's why I have ZERO mail delivery at my residences. Long ago when I first became an adult and had a place, the U.S postal service literally couldn't get more than 3 pieces of mail to me in over 7 months. I was yelling and screaming, but nothing changed. It was either the postman dumping mail into a ditch, or somebody stealing my mail. So I learned early on that the U.S postal service sucked ass, and you needed to take steps.
So I had everything delivered to my office after that, and then eventually, a private mail box company. These days I use c/o for all packages and have them delivered to my office. Everyone gets along really great and your package is signed for if necessary, and I can pick it up later. Why do I need Amazon to do anything again?
Amazon already had a good idea with putting lockers in front of major grocery stores. I'm starting to see them everywhere, so why can't you go pick up your Amazon package while getting something at the store? It's space under good lighting, security cameras, and you have strip mall security guards in the parking lot. Don't think your package is going to be crowbar'd out of a locker anytime soon.
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Saturday November 18 2017, @10:17PM (1 child)
Oh, I feel safer already.
Lockers are cool if they are close. Around here every Safeway store and 7/11 have them.
You got three days to pick up locker packages. And not everything is eligible to be shipped that way, but the trucks usually drop stuff earlier in the day than the home delivery. I think the lockers get first priority.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by Virindi on Sunday November 19 2017, @07:51AM
Why not? The purpose of a mall "security guard" is that if there is an obvious problem they call the real police. Amazon packages don't tend to be worth the effort of a sophisticated attack. Criminals do know about risk vs. reward.
(Score: 2) by Reziac on Sunday November 19 2017, @02:20AM
There's a way to have street deliveries go to your post office instead. You'll have to get the correct address for that from your local post office. (I used this to get packages where the vendor would not deliver to a P.O. box, which I had because street deliveries were a problem!)
And there is no Alkibiades to come back and save us from ourselves.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 19 2017, @01:45AM (1 child)
YES! You do when the cops break into your house, handcuff you, and hold you at gunpoint while they search your property.
What, the FBI hasn't accused you of being a domestic terrorist yet? Well aren't you lucky.
How about YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP about things YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT you IGNORANT SHIT.
When you die, burn in hell, Runaway. Die, real soon.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Runaway1956 on Sunday November 19 2017, @02:21AM
Somebody loves you, youngster. I have no idea who, but someone. Well, I hope so, anyway. Then again, maybe not . . . .