I’ve been saying it for quite some time, eventually people are going to start getting in trouble for using other people’s networks. Of course, these people did something illegal which got them in trouble, but it’s only a matter of time that others who just use it to surf will be caught by the admins and reported.
what about places that specifically offers ‘free’ wifi, ie, all over Chicago/NYC, there are coffee shops/bakeries/bars that offer free wifi. how would the law distinguish what’s ‘truly’ free and others that are merely ‘inherently’ free?
I wonder how specific the law is about this matter and how “authorized” access is defined.
I have a wifi router myself. I don’t use encryption due to the likely speed reduction but I use a MAC filter list, permitting only my PCs. I do someitmes wonder how difficult it would be to defeat that.
[quote author=“Drachen”][quote author=“tifosiv122”]but it’s only a matter of time that others who just use it to surf will be caught by the admins and reported.
Most people who would be able to ferret out an unauthorized connection would be able to use some sort of encryption on their AP.
Not if they are dicks and want to catch people…similar to those who put dummy servers up in big companies to allow would be hackers to believe they are actually in the real server.
I think it is your responsibility to secue your network, if you feel uncomfortable. I have my own wi-fi at home, but I also enjoy the free internet in starbucks, hotels, and whereever I am travelling. I do not use WEP for my own wi-fi. By the way, I am living very close to a park. Sometimes, I guss people are enjoying my wi-fi network as well as the park. :D But I feel OK about that.
Sometimes, when I am travelling, I always feel happy when I can find some unsecured wi-fi networks to check my email on the road. You know, when you turn on the wi-fi on your laptop, it will automatic find some APs and try to connect to internet. I guess the owner of these network might be someone like me. :D
[quote author=“tifosiv122”]Not if they are dicks and want to catch people…similar to those who put dummy servers up in big companies to allow would be hackers to believe they are actually in the real server.
Asuming I have a decent firewall up and I don’t go to any personally identifying sites, I’m not sure how they would catch me. In my apartment, I can see no less than 16 APs besides my own. If I surf on one of those APs from the comfort of my apartment, how would anyone find me? At most they would know the manufacturer of my NIC and maybe my approximate location. Are they going to search every apartment in my building? This guy got caught only because he was doing something obviously suspicious. With a normal network honeypot, you’re recording access and at least have things like IP addresses to trace back.
[quote author=“coolfire74”]I do not use WEP for my own wi-fi. By the way, I am living very close to a park. Sometimes, I guss people are enjoying my wi-fi network as well as the park. But I feel OK about that.
When you allow others into your wireless network, unless you’ve set up a DMZ or something, you’re letting them roam around on the inside of your firewall. That’s always dangerous unless you’ve properly secured your computers.
[quote author=“Drachen”]
When you allow others into your wireless network, unless you’ve set up a DMZ or something, you’re letting them roam around on the inside of your firewall. That’s always dangerous unless you’ve properly secured your computers.
I usually turn off my computers when I am not home, and I have firewalls on my PCs, too. I usually come back home around 7 pm to 8 pm, most people have left the park at that time. But even I am not at home, I still let the wifi on. Anyway, I pay the same amount for my wi-fi. :D
[quote author=“CokeHead”]“At most they would know the manufacturer of my NIC and maybe my approximate location. Are they going to search every apartment in my building?”
yep, true. if their router logs activity it will log the MAC address of all devices that connect to it. thats why you should carry a PCMCIA based throw-down wifi card (like cops throw-down guns) to ditch at anytime. or you could just spoof your MAC address.
“Open up, this is the police. We have a warrant!”
[Drachen opens up his TR and eats the wireless NIC.]
“You’ll never take me alive coppers!”
[quote author=“CokeHead”]Just because you leave ur signal unprotected or if someone breaks your security, it does NOT give them access to your PC, only your internet connection.
No, but an attacker is on your local network, essentially he is plugged into the local LAN. He can attack your Windows boxes at will, try to figure out the password to your wireless router (hope you changed it from the default!) and, if your computer is also on an unprotected wireless connection, he can sniff your network traffic without doing a thing.
If anyone got onto my network and started to roam he’d get shitty with not being able to understand why he couldn’t see any drives or anything. Then he look in the window and see an iMac serving up the wireless LAN and he’d run off in disgust
I think there’s a market for these throwdown cards. Maybe we could make them outta wood or something and you could burn them when the filth is at the door.
But seriously, are they going to be able to get a warrant for it. I can see them knocking on Drachen’s door and asking politely to come in because there’s a suspicion that he’s the one surfing on Joe Neighbours wireless. “yeah one minute….crunch, munch, gulp. Sure come in.”
[quote author=“spyhunter”]Unless a person is a real dick and reports unauthorized use of his connection, nothing is going to happen. And that would almost constitute entrapment, because he is intentionally leaving his router open to “trap” someone!
I suppose leaving your front door open is also entrapment? Seriousy, there are two reasons to secure your AP. First is that your machines on the inside of your network are more vulnerable to attack. Second, you don’t need to compromise machines to be a legal problem. Say the person using your network is downloading (or uploading) child porn or sending out huge quantities of spam, both of which can be traced back as far as the owner of the wireless AP…
Considering the amount of hotspots out there (commercial, residencial, etc.) and the amount of bad stuff that is going down because lack of encryption.. I wouldn’t be too worried about it. Usually it’s pretty obvious - as is the case Erik posted at the very start. People don’t just park outside your house and sit in their car.. be smart about it.
[quote author=“fatigueofheart1”]^dude, what the hell is wrong with you? everything you post is either uncomprehensible or just spam. How old are you? This is not the forum to behave like a !@$#$$#$, you want post counts, go spam somewhere else!
Speaking of acting like a !@$#$$#$, there are few things I find more annoying than flamers that don’t have the balls to post under their real handle.
