Amazon Removes Encryption Fire OS

[Conan46]

Was kind of shocked to see this:

Locally stored data on Amazon Fire devices is no longer encrypted. Anyone who upgrades their Kindle Fire, Fire Phone, Amazon Fire HD, or Amazon Fire TV Stick to Fire OS 5 will have local information left vulnerable to cyber attacks and stored in plain text.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/3/111...emoved-upgrade

[Conan46]

Even if you don't use encryption, here is why you need it:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/tech...ry-reset-flaw/
I encrypted both a 7" 2013 HD and 6" HD Amazon tablet before selling them. It is the only way to be sure data cannot be recovered from them. There was "0" benefit in Amazon removing this feature for customers. Absolutely astounded they did this in the current environment. My remaining Fire tablet will be wiped and Cyanogenmod put on it in the future. Will never buy another Amazon tablet or device.

[Barty]

They said they removed it because "nobody uses it." Of course since encryption is an Android feature, they're essentially getting it for free so I don't know why they don't just leave it there for people who want it.

[Conan46]

Originally Posted by Barty

They said they removed it because "nobody uses it." Of course since encryption is an Android feature, they're essentially getting it for free so I don't know why they don't just leave it there for people who want it.

I agree. My thinking exactly.

[GlenBarrington]

It could be my paranoia speaking, but I'm willing to bet there's a marketing angle involved somehow. The discovery of a new way to monetize their users that demands no pesky encryption is the only thing that makes sense to me.

If they don't care about security, why have they spoken out in favor of Apple in the Apple/FBI kerfuffle? Their position in relation to their actions is weird, and I don't think it bodes well for consumer security in the long haul. And THAT means, no more Amazon electronics for me until some clarity is forthcoming.

[Conan46]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

It could be my paranoia speaking, but I'm willing to bet there's a marketing angle involved somehow. The discovery of a new way to monetize their users that demands no pesky encryption is the only thing that makes sense to me.

If they don't care about security, why have they spoken out in favor of Apple in the Apple/FBI kerfuffle? Their position in relation to their actions is weird, and I don't think it bodes well for consumer security in the long haul. And THAT means, no more Amazon electronics for me until some clarity is forthcoming.

Interesting idea that encryption could have gotten in the way of Amazon controlling their tablets as they might wish.
A guy could put on his tinfoil hat and go full paranoid I guess:
http://www.theatlantic.com/technolog...amazon/374632/
It seems fairly horrible timing with Apple vs the FBI, and if Amazon is all for encryption and customer privacy they seem double-minded by supporting Apple on one side while removing their own tablet's OS encryption at the same time.
I really can't get my mind around it as Amazon had it disabled by default, and I used the 2013 7" HD Fire tablet with encryption enabled for awhile with no noticeable lag in the tablet's operation. I will buy that the $49 tablet might suffer if it is enabled, but certainly not their higher end tablets.
It is a red flag for me and even though I want one of their new battery powered Echos, this is enough of a worry that I won't buy one now.

[Conan46]

As Wired points out, Amazon actually, very quietly dropped encryption last autumn and it went largely unnoticed until now:
http://www.wired.com/2016/03/amazon-...nothing-apple/
I suppose if they had made a big announcement about it they would have come under fire and knew it, so they did it under the radar, but it has come out now at a particularly bad time for them with the Apple thing going on.

If Amazon thought this was a good idea they should not have been so secretive about it. Makes you question their motives.

Amazon does not appear to have mentioned the removal of full-disk encryption from Fire OS in any public materials related to the update, which has been rolling out to the company’s products since September. Customers seeking an explanation of the change on the company’s support forum are unanswered.

http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...logy_b-gdntech

[GlenBarrington]

It's a weird feeling, thinking my Chinese lenovo tablet is more secure than my Amazon Fire Tablet

[Conan46]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

It's a weird feeling, thinking my Chinese lenovo tablet is more secure than my Amazon Fire Tablet

Yes, even the least expensive Android tablets and phones pretty much all come with Android encryption.
To me, it shakes my confidence in Amazon's willingness to put my security/privacy forefront in their plans. I need to have confidence in a company who wants me to buy a device with always on microphones connecting continually back and forth with their servers. It is why I said they have lost me as a potential Echo customer.

[Wearever]

Originally Posted by Conan46

Yes, even the least expensive Android tablets and phones pretty much all come with Android encryption.
To me, it shakes my confidence in Amazon's willingness to put my security/privacy forefront in their plans. I need to have confidence in a company who wants me to buy a device with always on microphones connecting continually back and forth with their servers. It is why I said they have lost me as a potential Echo customer.

I agree. It makes no sense.

[Barty]

Amazon reversed course, will reinstate full disk encryption

http://www.engadget.com/2016/03/04/a...ack-to-fireos/

[Conan46]

Originally Posted by Barty

Amazon reversed course, will reinstate full disk encryption

http://www.engadget.com/2016/03/04/a...ack-to-fireos/

Thanks for posting that!
Sometimes customer complaints and the power of the press works.

[rdfry]

Well the best thing to do with a fire tablet is to get rid of Fire OS