Unconfigured Wireless AP Ethics

[d0pp]

The best thing to do is situations like this... where you have clueless people with open AP's... is to remember the location...

You never know when you need anonymous internet access.

[Nokia]

You must spread your AntiPoints around before giving it to d0pp again.

At last someone who speaks sense!

Originally posted here by karmine
otherwise id just go in and leave a text file on his desktop named READ ME NOW.txt saying "fix your xxx xxx before some bad kid with too much time hurts your box" anonymously

Go on then, tell us all how you would do this.

I have an open wi-fi AP that has no internet connection just two very old boxs connected to it (1 hardwired the other wi-fi) It can be very interesting looking at what people do, or try to do to be more exact, when they find an open AP.

My other AP with internet access is totaly locked down.

My outlook on it, is if someone has a open AP and in this day and age has not even had the common sense to look into securing it - what do they expect.

Unless I know them of course then I will let them know. You would be suprised how many people change the ssid to their own name!!

[Negative]

I would like to add that it's not per se illegal to connect to an unsecured wireless network. The (legal) reasoning is as follows:

- Since Windows (by default, I think?) connects to "any available network", there is no easy way to tell (for the ignorant user, that is) what wireless network you're connected to (it takes skill to not see it, but anyways...). In other words: Windows could connect to your neighbor's network if he's got a stronger signal than yours, and you can't punish people for that.

- You have to be ignorant: the following only goes for unintentionally connecting to an unsecured wireless network:

The Electronic Communications Privacy Act states that it is not illegal to "intercept or access an electronic communication made through an electronic communication system that is configured so that such electronic communication is readily accessible to the general public" - the electronic communication with unsecured wi-fi is readily accessible to the general public and wi-fi uses unlicensed radio bands, so there's nothing illegal about connecting to them...

[westin]

originally by negative:

Since Windows (by default, I think?) connects to "any available network", there is no easy way to tell (for the ignorant user, that is) what wireless network you're connected to (it takes skill to not see it, but anyways...). In other words: Windows could connect to your neighbor's network if he's got a stronger signal than yours, and you can't punish people for that.

This is exactly what happened when the computer at my workplace connected to the bowling alley's network... for some reason it was picking up a stronger signal from the other router...

[brokencrow]

So...it's is not illegal to "intercept or access an electronic communication made through an electronic communication system that is configured so that such electronic communication is readily accessible to the general public"?

Following that logic, I can just run my old Uniden scanner and eavesdrop on cell phone calls? And it's legal if I sit in a Starbuck's transmitting t-mobile wireless and run Ethereal without logging onto the network?

I dunno...seems like a gray area at best. I'd hate to be a test case.

[Negative]

I can just run my old Uniden scanner and eavesdrop on cell phone calls? And it's legal if I sit in a Starbuck's transmitting t-mobile wireless and run Ethereal without logging onto the network?

No... I don't think I mentioned cell phone calls. They're not in the public band afaik...

[Tiger Shark]

You would be suprised how many people change the ssid to their own name!!

You gotta wonder how many people enter their SSN when they read SSID too... I bet _someone_ has... *shaking head*

[d0pp]

Starbuck's transmitting t-mobile wireless and run Ethereal without logging onto the network?

AFAIK, that is legal. Anything transmitted in the clear on a public frequency...

[devpon]

The Electronic Communications Privacy Act states that it is not illegal to "intercept or access an electronic communication made through an electronic communication system that is configured so that such electronic communication is readily accessible to the general public" - the electronic communication with unsecured wi-fi is readily accessible to the general public and wi-fi uses unlicensed radio bands, so there's nothing illegal about connecting to them...

There has to be more to this. Nowhere does it state that you have to be ignorant or do it unintentionally.

- You have to be ignorant: the following only goes for unintentionally connecting to an unsecured wireless network:

[Negative]

Well duh... of course there's more to it, namely the rest of the ECPA.

Section 2511 is where the intentional/unintentional disctintion comes from - in all articles, "intentional" interception is specified:

Interception and disclosure of wire, oral, or
electronic communications prohibited

(1) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter
any person who -

(a) intentionally intercepts, endeavors to intercept, or
procures any other person to intercept or endeavor to intercept,
any wire, oral, or electronic communication;
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