Amazon Home Echo Neptune - Amazon 6-Pager March 31, 2023

1) Introduction

This document aims to encapsulate the general properties of the Amazon Home Echo &
highlight important details about the product’s vulnerabilities, leading properties, &
advantages, while addressing common questions about the device and its practices.
This piece will serve as a guiding perspective into the fundamentals of the Echo’s
functions as well as consumer perception.

Since its inception on November 6th, 2014, the Amazon Home Echo has been one of the
most popular & commercially successful smart speakers available on the global market.
(Wikipedia, 2023) With the help of the device’s apt AI voice assistant “Alexa”, users have
endless access to a diverse range of capabilities from making grocery lists to managing
practical appliances in their home. As an apex pioneer in the cloud-based voice service
industry, the Amazon Echo has solidified its position as one of the first IoT (Internet of
Things) devices to become commonplace in our society.

2) Proposal

The Amazon Home Echo is a virtual assistant used by more than 11 million US
consumers, (Gonzales, 2017) in all different kinds of settings. Echo uses bluetooth-
enabled speakers, (Orr & Sanchez, 2017) to do a variety of tasks including making phone
calls, purchasing online items, playing music, and controlling the environment. This
virtual assistant interacts with its user to automate life’s tasks and it is a massive
success, Echo’s market is worth millions of dollars. (Islam, Jiang, Pathak, Tomai, & Xu,
2022)

Although the Amazon Home Echo is loved by millions, the security of the device is
questionable. Privacy and security vulnerabilities have been discussed more and more.
Law enforcement officials have even begun to speculate how this product can provide
evidence for cases and whether or not information collected by Echo should be used for
evidence in cases or not.

The vulnerabilities of Echo:

● Listening and Recording

○ The device practices passive listening and is always listening for the next
command due to Echo being voice activated. Echo records an audio file
with each command, sends the command to the cloud, and finally makes
the response. All of these commands get stored as audio files that can be
viewed in the user’s Amazon account. The audio files are encrypted,
however, someone with skills can recognize secure sockets layer traffic
between Echo and Amazon’s website to discover when a user is
intersecting with Echo.

● Voice Activation
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○ Anyone can make requests to Echo because Echo cannot differentiate

between voices. This can cause problems because someone may say
“Alexa” on the television or about a real person and Echo would respond.

● High Frequency Attacks

○ Chinese researchers have explained the Echo vulnerability through a
method named a “DolphinAttack”. The “DolphinAttack” translates a vocal
command into an ultrasonic frequency that cannot be heard by humans
but can be heard by Echo. This experiment shows that Echo can be easily
disrupted by something very simple.

● Physical Root Access Attacks

○ Echo can be tampered with physically very easily. Attackers can gain
access to Echo’s underlying Linux system through the easily accessible
debug pads on the base of Echo and through the device's ability to boot
from an external SD card. Once an attacker has exploited these
vulnerabilities, they can insert comments, install malware, and eavesdrop
with no evidence of tampering.

● Cameras and Drop-In

○ The new drop-in feature (a display screen and camera) causes privacy
concerns for Echo users. This feature acts as an intercom between users.
After ten seconds of a frosted screen the user will hear a chime and see a
green light indicating a drop-in.

● Cloud Data Storage

○ Amazon is able to hear conversations between Echo and its user for their
own advantage. Amazon uses this technology to “learn” by absorbing a
high volume of data/information in contrast to menial programming. The
device becomes smarter and adapts to the user. The issue with this is
that law enforcement could use data collected which is the biggest threat
to user security. (Jackson & Orebaugh, 2018)

The study performed by Orr and Sanchez explains the issues and benefits of law
enforcement using Echo recordings in ongoing investigations. They state that the fourth
amendment issue is, of course, the biggest issue of law enforcement using Echo
information in cases. With that being said, Echo is a promising resource for law
enforcement to use in tandem with other evidence. Echo information may be able to
confirm theories law enforcement officials may have. As of now, because of the fourth
amendment, Echo information holds no evidentiary value in law enforcement. (Orr &
Sanchez, 2017)

3) Tenet(s)

The following tenets are aspects used to evaluate Amazon Echo products:
1. Size: We aim to make the Amazon Echo the simplest yet effective. Roughly the
size of a baseball, the Echo Dot is easily recognizable. The new Dot is far more
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adorable! It’s black, small, and round—reminds us of a hockey puck. (Admin,

2021)

2. Audio Quality: We are seeking to produce the best audio quality, given its simple
nature. The newer generations of our Echo aim to boost bass performance within
households. (Moore, 2022) We want our sound quality to give a little more
resonance to the bass, giving listeners a slight audio improvement. (Prospero,
2022)

3. Bluetooth Capability: The Amazon Echo is looking to offer more advanced

features, too. The device can be paired with other Amazon-owned products to
make for an even better experience. You can pair one or a few Amazon Home
Echo Dots with an Amazon Fire TV device, using them instead of your TV’s built-
in speakers. (Looper, 2022) “The Amazon Home Echo Dot can actually serve as
an Eero WiFi beacon, helping extend your WiFi network through your home.”
(Looper, 2022)

4. Price: Amazon seeks to emphasize the affordability of its Amazon Echo

products. Newer models like the fourth generation Echo are going at a price of
only $49.99. (Tuohy, 2022) Amazon wants to continue to offer different audio
and voice command features that come with the Amazon Echo, making it one of
the cheapest smart speakers for under $50. (Prospero, 2022)

4) Advantage(s) of Echo products

Amazon Echo products have been the industry leader in smart speaker innovation since
their initial release in November of 2014. This success is primarily based on the plethora
of advantages the Amazon Echo family of products offer. Aspects that give the Amazon
Echo devices precedence in the smart speaker market include:
1. Music Streaming
2. Smart Home Integration
3. Ease of Information Access
4. Personalization
5. Convenience

4.1) Music Streaming

Over the past decade we have seen the rise in popularity of streaming services such as
Pandora, Spotify, and Apple Music. With this has come new devices that allow us to play
streamed music from our mobile devices. Music streaming is arguably the biggest
reason for the rise in popularity of smart speakers. Amazon’s release of the first
generation of Echo products allowed for users to connect their smart device via
bluetooth and play music from their platform of choice. The Echo devices offered the
consumer market a reliable, easy to use, and reasonably priced speaker that could meet
their desire for a portable smart speaker with better sound quality compared to
smartphone speakers.

4.2) Smart Home Integration

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While smart homes have been around since the early 2000’s, smart home devices that
we are familiar with today like smart doorbells, smart thermostats, and of course smart
speakers were still considered new technology with the release of the 1st generation
Amazon Echo speaker. The Amazon Echo serves as a sort of hub for other smart home
compatible devices. The Echo allows the user to control smart lights, locks, thermostats,
Amazon Fire TV’s, Ring doorbells, among other smart home devices through voice
commands. The accessibility that the Echo products create allows for instant control of
your smart home devices.

4.3) Ease of information Access

Echo devices provide the user with quick reliable access to information. User’s can ask
the Echo’s voice assistant Alexa for real-time updates on weather, traffic, news, and
sports. In addition, Echo devices can answer questions relating to a wide range of topics
such as pop-culture, history, science, math, and even check for spelling. This quick
reliable access to information has even led to Echo devices being used in classrooms.
Relevant applications in a classroom setting include the ability to use Echo products as
a timer, random number generator, dictionary, and even as a study tool with the devices
supported connection to learning apps such as quizlet and chegg. One example of such
a use case is the implementation of an Echo device to help a five year old girl learn
English as a second language. (Davie & Hilber, 2018)

4.4) Personalization

A selling point of the Amazon Echo products is the ability to personalize the device to
suit an individual's preferences. The user can set up personalized voice profiles so that
Alexa can differentiate between users in a household by recognizing their voice. This
allows for a personalized version of the product for all members of the household. This
feature allows Alexa to learn a user's preferences relating to music genres and
commonly used commands. This gives the product a sense of personability with each
user. Updates serve to create a more intuitive and personalized experience the longer
you own the device.

4.5) Convenience

The biggest convenience that the echo products offer is the hands-free experience,
which allows users to complete tasks without having to get out of their favorite chair.
Alexa is able to perform a range of functions like making phone calls, sending text
messages, ordering takeout, and as already discussed monitoring and controlling smart
home devices. Alexa also offers peace of mind through noise recognition capabilities
that sends an alert to your smartphone.

5) Conclusion

The Amazon Home Echo has helped to completely transform the way that we complete
life’s daily tasks. Today, the ripple effects of the Echo are seen throughout our society as
other cloud-based voice services such as the Google Nest Audio & Apple Homepod are
being introduced to consumers in the smart speaker market. The popularity of the
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Amazon Echo has also prompted the expansion of the Echo family with devices like the
Echo Dot & Echo Show which are on their 5th & 15th generation, respectively. There are
even wearable Echo devices that connect to Alexa such as the Echo Frames, Echo Buds,
& Echo Loop, the latter of which is a titanium ring that can awaken Alexa with the click of
a button. (Laukkonen, 2023)

Though the Amazon Home Echo has received immense adulation globally, it is not
without its flaws. As technology proceeds to advance & push the boundaries of our
everyday life, we must find ways to negate the challenges as they arise. With the
extensive popularity of IoT devices including smart speakers, smart watches, smart
appliances, etc., privacy & security concerns are at an all time high. Attacks on data &
network communication are becoming steadily more frequent & are especially
dangerous when committed at the national level. VPN & encryption technology services
may begin to gain popularity as the worry over IoT devices & unsecured digital data
gains momentum. (Lynskey, 2019) Overall, the Amazon Home Echo is a convenient,
versatile tool that still holds up to this day. Not only has it become an innovator in the
smart electronics industry, but it has also completely revolutionized the way that we
utilize technology forever.

6) FAQ

When it comes to any popular product, questions arise. Oftentimes, the same questions
get asked over and over again. The Amazon Home Echo is no exception to this. As the
product has grown in popularity, more and more frequently asked questions are getting
asked. For example:
1. Is user privacy protected?
2. Is user data protected?
3. Does data collected by the Amazon Home Echo hold weight in court?

6.1) Is user privacy protected?

This question arose from customers wondering if the Amazon Home Echo is always
“on” and constantly listening to the user(s) and if this is true, does Echo record the
listened information? Amazon explained that even though Echo is always technically
listening for the next keyword to be spoken by the user, that is all Echo is listening for.
Amazon states that Echo does not pay attention to or record any words spoken that are
not keywords or commands. Once Echo is woken by a keyword, however, Echo is
activated and records what is being said by the user. The recorded information is then
saved to a server. To summarize, user privacy is somewhat protected. Even though most
information is not listened to and recorded, the words spoken by the user after saying a
keyword or phrase is recorded.

6.2) Is user data protected?

Continuing with the privacy of users, data is also protected and not protected. According
to Amazon, Echo does not record data not said after a keyword. Although this does keep
some data protected, it does not keep all data protected. User data is recorded after a
keyword or phrase. (Orr & Sanchez, 2017) Furthermore, Once an attacker has exploited
Amazon Home Echo Neptune - Amazon 6-Pager March 31, 2023

the physical vulnerabilities of Echo, they eavesdrop and view recorded information
without any trace of tampering. (Jackson & Orebaugh, 2018) This clearly shows that not
all user data is protected.

6.3) Does data collected by the Amazon Home Echo hold weight in court?

This question was inspired by users questioning if the data collected by Echo was even
legal. Technically, no. Echo recording data is in violation of the fourth amendment.
Therefore, law enforcement is not able to access data/information collected by Echo for
an ongoing investigation. In the future, Echo could be used to continue law
enforcement’s investigations, but for now, data collected by Echo holds no weight in
court. (Orr & Sanchez, 2017)
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Works Cited
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