You want my what?!
A word about ARC’s and Kindle email addresses
Why?
Trust is a 2 way street
Argue the point if you want, but I’ll always feel my risks if I were to share this privacy are way worse than an author's risk of plagiarism or pirating when insisting on this protocol.
I understand the monies lost in these two “P” evils. However, my kindle AND Amazon accounts and everything they can be used for are at risk.
A couple of years ago Amazon plugged a hole in Kindle's security after eBooks containing malicious links allowed unsuspecting users' kindle and Amazon accounts to be accessed. The kindle owners had emailed innocent looking but malicious eBooks to their device.
Recently that security breach has been reported again with the newest kindle models.
Let’s face it, where there’s a will there will always be a way! With any device or system, when one hole is blocked, another is found. The recent hack of Sony has publicized an ongoing problem with electronic security that normally doesn’t get publicity unless it’s a mass celebrity cell phone hack and leak – or a major entity like Sony.
Let’s say my amazon account is hacked by someone posing to be an author, or some book formatter who took advantage of an unsuspecting well-known author. The hacker then has access to my actual amazon email. Thus my amazon account where they can post unscrupulous items or even buy if my saved credit card allows it. They also get access to my email contacts, any business info in my email.
In addition, what happens to hacked accounts? They're closed down. So I then lose all 800 of my paid books. Even if they let me transfer my books to my new secure account, I lose all my highlights and notes. But it isn’t a guarantee that I get to transfer my books to a new account.
I understand authors worry over plagiarism and pirate sites. But asking bloggers and beta readers to trust you because you don't trust them is not the solution.
The evil individuals who steal another's hard work will simply rip it right off reading devices—it’s easy enough. I’m no pirate, plagiarizer, or thief. But one thing I do know is, if there’s a will, there’s a way.
So, I'm sorry. No to even my favorite authors who offer ARC’s only through direct email to kindles. I'll buy the book—as I always do anyway if I love the ARC. Only difference is I’ll be reviewing on my own time and not on release day.
I understand the monies lost in these two “P” evils. However, my kindle AND Amazon accounts and everything they can be used for are at risk.
A couple of years ago Amazon plugged a hole in Kindle's security after eBooks containing malicious links allowed unsuspecting users' kindle and Amazon accounts to be accessed. The kindle owners had emailed innocent looking but malicious eBooks to their device.
Recently that security breach has been reported again with the newest kindle models.
Let’s face it, where there’s a will there will always be a way! With any device or system, when one hole is blocked, another is found. The recent hack of Sony has publicized an ongoing problem with electronic security that normally doesn’t get publicity unless it’s a mass celebrity cell phone hack and leak – or a major entity like Sony.
Let’s say my amazon account is hacked by someone posing to be an author, or some book formatter who took advantage of an unsuspecting well-known author. The hacker then has access to my actual amazon email. Thus my amazon account where they can post unscrupulous items or even buy if my saved credit card allows it. They also get access to my email contacts, any business info in my email.
In addition, what happens to hacked accounts? They're closed down. So I then lose all 800 of my paid books. Even if they let me transfer my books to my new secure account, I lose all my highlights and notes. But it isn’t a guarantee that I get to transfer my books to a new account.
I understand authors worry over plagiarism and pirate sites. But asking bloggers and beta readers to trust you because you don't trust them is not the solution.
The evil individuals who steal another's hard work will simply rip it right off reading devices—it’s easy enough. I’m no pirate, plagiarizer, or thief. But one thing I do know is, if there’s a will, there’s a way.
So, I'm sorry. No to even my favorite authors who offer ARC’s only through direct email to kindles. I'll buy the book—as I always do anyway if I love the ARC. Only difference is I’ll be reviewing on my own time and not on release day.
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SOURCES
- Word of mouth from friends who know of a woman who was hacked this way.
- A friend with extensive background in cyber security
- http://gizmodo.com/your-amazon-account-can-be-hacked-via-a-malicious-kindl-1635226330
- http://the-digital-reader.com/2011/07/15/amazon-hacked-accounts-kindle-ebooks-the-real-story/
- http://www.teleread.com/drm/a-case-for-drm-circumvention-my-amazon-account-was-hacked-by-joanna/
- http://kindlehacks.blogspot.com/
- http://www.amazon.co.uk/forum/deals/ref=cm_cd_pg_oldest?_encoding=UTF8&authToken=&cdForum=Fx1DEIHNWYF5SA9&cdPage=1&cdSort=newest&cdThread=Tx3Q144BX3RMWB5
- http://www.geekwire.com/2013/guy-hacked-kindle-automatically-email-jeff-bezos/