Hack turns Amazon Echo into Spying Device (But It’s Complex) But it’s not simple, requires physical access to the device and does not work on all devices. Hack only affects 2015 and 2016 versions of the AI-powered speaker. Amazon has introduced a mitigation that prevents the new models of the device from external booting pads in a way that prevents them from the crucial debugging pads. Users should always buy the Amazon Echo from the company directly, as a way to protect themselves from such tamperings.
Source: https://thehackernews.com/2017/08/hacking-amazon-echo-spying.html