GoKawiilStarting this September, Amazon’s Ring security brand is clarifying how it encrypts customer data on cameras, including security video data used for AI analysis, like turning it into video descriptions on your phone. This begins with a unique Ring standard called Throw Away the Key Encryption.
Previously, Ring’s cloud practices were a bit of a black box. We knew the sort of encryption used, but not how easily or frequently Ring could access videos for analysis. Privacy concerns quickly followed, especially as Ring has come under scrutiny — and lawsuits — for features like its AI familiar face technology.
Now Ring has redefined the process and outlined several encryption practices made to give customers more protection or at least more information. Here’s how TAKE works.
A tale of two keys
Ring’s cloud storage is typically necessary to save videos and use intelligence features. Tyler Lacoma/CNET
TAKE is a new approach and a significant jump in transparency for Ring. When TAKE is used and a Ring camera records a video, that video is encrypted with rotating encryption keys, which means the keys are periodically updated with new versions.
One copy of the key is held in the cloud by Ring, in what Ring describes as a “secure enclave,” which requires specific permissions and situations to access. If you have any Ring artificial intelligence features enabled for your Ring device, like video descriptions and summaries, familiar face detection, advanced object recognition and so on, then Ring takes the key out of its vault and uses it — once — to analyze your video footage.
After Ring uses its copy of the key to analyze your video and use the data gathered, it deletes the key and can no longer access that video for any purpose. The company says, “Ring can only receive access to power the intelligent features that you have active on your account,” but I’m not sure if that includes analysis for Ring’s own purposes, like AI training, too. Either way, it seems like it can only happen for one instance.
Meanwhile, you keep the master key for your Ring video, so you can access your cloud storage clips whenever and how often you want, until the cloud storage limit runs out. (Ring’s storage starts at 180 days.) If you have Shared Users on your Ring account who you’ve enabled to access videos, they’ll have this master key, too.
Jamie Siminoff, founder and chief inventor at Ring, told CNET, “We wanted to provide E2EE-like security while allowing customers to continue using all the features they expect from their Ring devices.”
... continue reading