5 ways to secure your Alexa device

five ways to secure your Alexa device

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If there'southward anything consumers have learned in contempo years, information technology'south that everything — even devices or institutions we believe to be secure — can exist hacked. With the explosion of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in millions of households across America, in that location are many more opportunities for our personal information to be collected, shared and stolen without our cognition.

According to a written report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, there are more than fifty million Amazon Echo devices installed in the U.S. Alexa is the most ubiquitous digital assistant, but many users don't know what happens to their data when they ask Alexa to read them a recipe or check their bank balance.

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Amazon has repeatedly denied that Alexa-enabled devices are recording at all times, but the devices are e'er listening for the wake word ("Alexa" is one of several options) and volition record and store what is said in one case Alexa is activated. Recordings capture a fraction of a 2nd before the wake discussion is spoken, and stop when the user request has been processed.

Smart assistants' hearing is yet far from perfect, and Alexa's recent spate of random laughter is a good instance of vocalism commands gone awry. Users reported that their Alexa-enabled devices laughed unprompted, which Amazon attributed to phrases that sounded similar to "Alexa, laugh" even when users didn't say the wake discussion.

Does Alexa tape private conversations?

There are words that audio similar enough to "Alexa" that information technology's possible the device will pick up fragments of private conversations that are not intended to be a control, said Pam Dixon, executive director of the World Privacy Forum, a nonprofit, public interest research grouping.

"The problem comes when people are not aware that recordings are stored until you delete them," she says. "People should recollect well-nigh what they are request their voice assistants and know that they tin delete that information."

According to an Amazon spokeswoman, Alexa recordings are stored deeply on the Amazon Web Services cloud, and the visitor does not release customer information without a "valid and binding legal demand properly served on us."

In fact, Amazon reportedly refused to comply with a warrant for information from an Echo that police in Bentonville, Arkansas, believed to exist show in a murder case.

Dixon notes that Amazon's privacy policy is "pretty transparent" and easily accessible on both desktop and mobile, merely what will likely surprise users most is how much of their own voices they'll hear if they heed to what their Alexa-enabled devices take recorded and stored.

"I really don't remember these devices are listening and sending that data off to third parties all the time, but from reviewing my ain recordings, at that place was lot more I predictable in there," Dixon said.

If you're concerned well-nigh the privacy and security of your personal data, there are a few steps you can take to secure your Alexa-enabled device.

Protect your home network

Your smart-home devices are only as secure every bit the network they connect to. Start by changing the default name and password for your wireless network — don't include identifying information in either — and enable the Wi-Fi Protected Access Two (WPA2) protocol on your router.

If possible, create one Wi-Fi network for your smart-habitation devices and another for devices you use to bank, shop or scan, and set up a firewall to restrict what — and who — can connect. Regularly check for and install firmware updates on all of your gadgets, including Alexa devices.

Change the Alexa wake word

The outset step Dixon recommends users take on their Alexa-enabled devices is to change the word that activates recording.

For now, you can use "Amazon," "Estimator" or "Repeat" instead. Cull the give-and-take that you lot're least likely to utilise in everyday chat, then Alexa volition record merely if you speak directly to information technology.

It's important to remember that Alexa-enabled devices may be able to pick up strangers' voices through closed windows and doors, Dixon adds. You tin also turn off the device'south microphone to end it from listening entirely.

Strengthen your Amazon password

Anyone with access to your Amazon account can listen to, share or delete your Alexa vocalism-recording history on the Manage Your Content and Devices dashboard. This includes family members who order items under the same username, but your information might also be vulnerable to hackers who obtain your Amazon password.

The commands y'all give Alexa — arming your security system, requesting directions and commute times, or calling friends — can provide malicious actors with valuable data about your daily routine, which tin put your personal prophylactic, and that of your home and family, at take chances. Just every bit yous would with whatever other login, follow expert password hygiene recommendations.

Delete old Alexa recordings, peculiarly those with sensitive information

While asking Alexa to set a timer or play cat noises is fairly innocuous, saved recordings that include sensitive wellness, legal or financial information are less then.

Dixon says nigh users don't remember near the consequences of having their conversations or requests stored indefinitely where others tin access them. Recordings may resurface in divorce or kid- custody cases, for example.

"If you take whatever kind of questions or any kind of misgivings about having recordings around, just delete them," Dixon said. "The idea is just similar clearing the web history in a web browser."

To heed to and delete stored recordings, open Settings > History in the Alexa app, or use the dashboard at Amazon.com. Recordings will remain on the Amazon cloud forever until you remove them.

Here's how to delete contempo Alexa recordings, automatically delete older recordings or delete all Alexa recordings.

Deleting all former recordings can degrade Alexa'southward performance slightly considering the device uses your history to improve responses over time, and it will accept to relearn patterns if information is lost.

If you don't want to mass-delete all recordings nearly local weather or music requests, you lot can selectively remove more sensitive fabric. You can also make sure that your Alexa device isn't being used to exam new features, which Amazon employees or contractors are more probable to listen to.

Read third-party Alexa skill privacy policies

3rd-party Alexa skills, of which at that place are tens of thousands, may also collect users' personal data. Amazon requires developers of these skills to provide links to their privacy policies on the skill detail pages, just consumers are responsible for digging through each to understand how data is nerveless, used and stored.

"Everyone is very worried about having any kind of a data breach or leak on these domicile devices," Dixon says. "No visitor right now wants to have a privacy issue — caution is the byword going forward."

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Emily Long is a Utah-based freelance writer who covers consumer technology, privacy and personal finance for Tom's Guide. She has been reporting and writing for about 10 years, and her work has appeared in Wirecutter, Lifehacker, NBC Ameliorate and CN Traveler, among others. When she's not working, you can find her trail running, teaching and practicing yoga, or studying for grad schoolhouse — all fueled by coffee, plainly.