Using other's unsecured wireless

[z31200n3]

So it looks like I don't REALLY need to worry about prosecution if I use other people's APs to surf the web, right? ... in USA

Is it just a matter of the risk I'm willing to take? Anyway to mitigate those risks (other then just not using it)? Have no file sharing, patches, AV & local firewall I suppose. Anything else?

Judging from the link, the dude in the SUV got in trouble because he was in his car, outside of the AP opperators house, and his actions looked suspicious. Even the homeowner said something like "i didnt care so much that he was online on my AP, I cared about him doing something illegal"...ie child pRon, etc......


so, if you're in your own home, and not doing anything to 'hunt down' his WiFi signal other than firing up your laptop , IMO, you're pretty in the clear as far as getting caught is concerned....

[nihil]

Well, you need to be careful. My DSL is limited to something like 30Gb a month. If someone uses a limited resource then they are stealing............it is a simple as that.

You would need to be very sure that the service was unlimited, then the concept of demonstrating a material loss would probably cut in and protect you from any serious action.

Another point to bear in mind, is that if you use someone else's resource and leave a slimy trail YOU, and you alone will be held responsible for any illegal use of their resources......... you know, drugs, terrorism, CP...........and the rest.

The problem with going to court on any sort of IT based rap is that you have a very poor chance of a fair trial (nobody in the court really understands the subject?). If you have demonstrated a "criminal" mentality by blatantly using that which does not belong to you, I don't think it would take me very long as a juror to assume that you were also responsible for the CP?...........hey, you are using someone else's ID and they are the registered and traceable owner?

It isn't that difficult to figure. If you are up to no good you will try to use something that traces back to someone else............if it is traceable to you, you wouldn't use it for anything illegal?

Maybe if I was up to something naughty, I would deliberately use an unsecured connection to build myself a nice little stack of fall guys?

I would urge extreme caution............there are a lot of bad guys out there