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Don’t make this mistake when selling your old Echo devices
With technology constantly evolving, it makes sense that you always want to upgrade devices. But what do you do with those old gadgets? Why not make some extra cash and sell them? Tap or click here for ways to make money off your old tech.
When selling old tech, you want to make sure your privacy isn’t breached. This used to be as simple as performing a factory reset. Unfortunately, it was recently discovered that this isn’t enough when it comes to your old Amazon Echo devices.
You need to take steps to keep your data from being exposed. Keep reading for the necessary steps you can take to remove as much info as possible from your Echo devices.
Here’s the backstory
Researchers at Northeastern University discovered that even after factory resetting an Echo, stored information wasn’t secure. A second-hand Echo device could allow new owners access to various sensitive information.
Even after a full factory reset, Wi-Fi information, your physical home address, and even access to Amazon-connected devices like smart locks and security cameras were still accessible. In some cases, even passwords were available to be discovered.
What does this mean for you?
This means people who purchase old echo devices could have access to all of your private information. That’s why you’ll want to take steps to prevent any data exposure before selling your Echo.
How to protect your information
While factory resetting your Echo is important, there are a few more steps you’ll need to take before you sell your Echo for good. First, you’ll want to deregister your Echo. Here’s how:
- Log in to your Amazon account.
- Open your Accounts & Lists menu under your profile.
- Select Manage Your Content & Devices.
- Choose the device you want to deregister, in this case your it’s the Echo device you’re selling.
- Click the three dots next to the device.
- Choose Deregister.
- Confirm your choice.
Once you’ve done this, your Echo will be deregistered to your personal Amazon account, which will protect most of your data. However, this isn’t enough. For a final layer of protection, you’ll need to reset your Echo back to manufacturer settings. Here’s how:
- Open your Alexa app on your phone.
- Head to Devices.
- Choose Echo & Alexa and select the Echo you want to factory reset.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page and choose Factory Reset.
- Confirm.
You have now deregistered and factory reset your Echo and can safely sell it. Unfortunately, this is all you can do as of now to protect your information. Hopefully, Amazon comes up with new fixes to address the issue in the near future.
RELATED: Worried about selling your phone second-hand? Here are all the steps you need to take before you sell your old phone.
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Tags: Amazon Echo, emergency patch, factory reset, PrintNightmare, privacy, security, technology, upgrades, vinyl
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