Your Comcast router doubles as a motion detector now - and a potential police informant
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ZDNET's key takeaways
- Comcast has introduced a new opt-in motion-detection feature in its routers.
- Xfinity Gateway devices detect movement and alert users via a mobile app.
- A footnote advisory indicates law enforcement could access your motion data.
Comcast has announced a new Xfinity router feature designed to improve home security -- but it may come with privacy caveats.
Comcast's new feature
As first reported by The Verge, a new motion-detection feature has been introduced in Xfinity home routers. An August 18 update to the Xfinity app enables millions of routers to monitor movement in the home.
In a press release, the company said the motion detection feature is part of Xfinity Shield, a new offering designed to "redefine intelligent home protection."
Also: Your router may be vulnerable to Russian hackers, FBI warns: 5 steps to take now
While we expect our home routers to have some form of basic cybersecurity protection, such as through filters, firewalls, and strong Wi-Fi encryption protocol support, Xfinity Shield, now available at no cost to existing customers, includes:
- Xfinity CyberSecure: Threat detection on the home Wi-Fi network, including phishing attempts and malware.
- Wi-Fi Motion: Turns Xfinity Gateway and connected devices into motion detectors inside the home.
- Family protection: Through family settings, admins (such as parents) can create user profiles and manage screen time or set device limits.
The second feature, motion detection, is the most interesting. Xfinity Gateway routers and compatible connected devices work as in-home motion detectors that "detect changes in the home's radio frequency signal between the Xfinity Gateway and a WiFi-connected device" and will alert users via the Xfinity app when activity is detected.
"It provides an added layer of awareness without recording video, capturing images, or identifying individuals," Comcast noted.
Also: The best Wi-Fi routers: Expert tested and reviewed
This is an opt-in feature and is not enabled by default, so you don't need to tiptoe around your living room to avoid setting off alerts.
There's a second layer to Xfinity Shield, called Shield Select. This gives customers an indoor camera, a door/window sensor, cloud video storage, and 24/7 response services with their home internet bundle.
What is Comcast doing?
"We believe the network should do more than connect devices," said Jon Gieselman, chief growth officer, Connectivity & Platforms, Comcast. "It should help protect the people, their personal information, and everything within their homes that depend on our most reliable Wi-Fi every day. That's the vision behind Shield: advancing the role of Wi-Fi to both connect and protect the home."
Reading between the lines, Xfinity Shield appears to represent Comcast's efforts to advance in the home security market.
Also: The best video doorbells: Expert tested
Consumers today who want digital security, home monitoring, and family safety solutions might end up with a fragmented set of products or services, as Comcast noted in its release -- so why not create a home security package to compete with providers such as Nest, SimpliSafe, Ring, and Arlo?
If you introduce a free tier of security improvements, then anyone who wants to go further might opt to pay for Shield Select, which provides the whole package.
Privacy implications
"Powered by Comcast's advanced network and AI capabilities, Xfinity Shield transforms home Wi-Fi into always-on protection via the Xfinity Gateway," the company said.
It's the "always-on" factor that has raised privacy concerns, potentially deterring some customers from enabling motion detection features or even considering them at all.
WiFi Motion requires an Xfinity WiFi Gateway, and compatible devices include the Technicolor TXB7, XB8, XB9, XB10, MXB1, and XER10 -- many of which are already in our homes. Particular pathways, established between your gateway and up to three connected devices, are monitored, and if anything crosses these paths, you're alerted.
Also: Should you ditch your TP-Link router? Here's how to secure your Wi-Fi today
You could argue that the new feature simply turns your router and connected devices into additional motion sensors you may already have in your home as part of an existing security package, such as those that monitor movement at windows and doors.
Don't need or want more motion sensing in your home? You can either not opt in to this Xfinity feature or be judicious about when you use it. You can enable or disable motion detection in the Xfinity app and set protection modes for daytime monitoring, when you're away, or at night. So, if you're going on holiday, it could be a useful addition to your home security.
However, I'm not sure whether the privacy trade-off is worth it, especially when you consider the footnote on the WiFi Motion page (as of the time of writing):
"Subject to applicable law, Comcast may disclose information generated by your WiFi Motion to third parties without further notice to you in connection with any law enforcement investigation or proceeding, any dispute to which Comcast is a party, or pursuant to a court order or subpoena."
In other words, records of movement in your home could end up in the hands of law enforcement or other third parties without your knowledge or consent. In that case, I'll pass.