Accessing open wireless networks
Anyone here ever done it? I'm just wondering about this as I'm sitting here looking at the 2 bars my airport icon is showing. One quick click and I could be surfing the net with free broadband.
So what's the deal here, is this illegal? Can these guys see me on there sucking bandwith? I'm assuming not, since they haven't even bothered to put a password on it... but I was just thinking about how often this must happen, with all the discussion on the net about War Driving, etc. If a business were to find out that you had been accessing their connection can they sue you?
If they do somehow find you on their network, what would they get, your Airport card's ID number only? Could they ever find out exactly who you are?
Me in particular, I'm not using this to transfer any large amount of data or anything, but my dial up connection at work is flaky at best, and I have hopped onto the wireless network a few times to send out an email when the dial up just won't connect. Am I a Very Bad Man, or what?
Thoughts? Experiences?
[ 10-12-2002: Message edited by: murbot ]</p>
So what's the deal here, is this illegal? Can these guys see me on there sucking bandwith? I'm assuming not, since they haven't even bothered to put a password on it... but I was just thinking about how often this must happen, with all the discussion on the net about War Driving, etc. If a business were to find out that you had been accessing their connection can they sue you?
If they do somehow find you on their network, what would they get, your Airport card's ID number only? Could they ever find out exactly who you are?
Me in particular, I'm not using this to transfer any large amount of data or anything, but my dial up connection at work is flaky at best, and I have hopped onto the wireless network a few times to send out an email when the dial up just won't connect. Am I a Very Bad Man, or what?
Thoughts? Experiences?
[ 10-12-2002: Message edited by: murbot ]</p>
Comments
<strong>Anyone here ever done it? I'm just wondering about this as I'm sitting here looking at the 2 bars my airport icon is showing. One quick click and I could be surfing the net with free broadband.
So what's the deal here, is this illegal? Can these guys see me on there sucking bandwith? I'm assuming not, since they haven't even bothered to put a password on it... but I was just thinking about how often this must happen, with all the discussion on the net about War Driving, etc. If a business were to find out that you had been accessing their connection can they sue you?
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Illegal? Of course. You don't have permission to be on their network. You're taking something that isn't yours, digital or not, it's stealing. What is the confusion here? If it is an open and free network, such as those at coffee shops or universities, then it would be fine, becuase they have given you permission. Can they see you? Of course. Why couldn't they? You're now on their network, I connect to other's networks all the time, I'm on one now, I can see them and they can see me. What's worst is that I am now usually behind their switch, I can easily sniff all traffic on the LAN or target specific computers. They can do the same to you.
[quote]<strong>
If they do somehow find you on their network, what would they get, your Airport card's ID number only? Could they ever find out exactly who you are?
</strong><hr></blockquote>
They can get your MAC address, which is hardcoded on to any NIC. This is not to say that MAC spoofing is impossible, just that it's probably beyond the scope of this post. I really doubt you could work from a factory installed MAC address back to end user however, if manufacturers even keep track of such things. Your MAC address is not meant as a tracking tool, it allows for routing on an internet where ip's can overlap and change. kind of
<strong> [quote]
Me in particular, I'm not using this to transfer any large amount of data or anything, but my dial up connection at work is flaky at best, and I have hopped onto the wireless network a few times to send out an email when the dial up just won't connect. Am I a Very Bad Man, or what?
Say it ain't so murbot.
<strong> [quote]
Thoughts? Experiences?
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Wi-Fi is ridiculously insecure, I woud be wary of even using it for email. It is a non-issue to sniff traffic and grab pop, imap, aim, http et cetera accounts/passwords. I personally use the three networks that cover my flat constantly, with no permission from the owners or network admins. WEP is a joke, and networks can be passively sniffed, meaning you don't have to be on their network to just grab the data out of the air, no traces.
[ 10-13-2002: Message edited by: serrano ]</p>
<strong>The radio waves from the aiprot base station are entering your house though. So it is not really stealing. Plus the people with the base station probably don't care. If they did they would password protect the base station.</strong><hr></blockquote>
This is so flawed it's ridiculous.
If any of you are actually interested in Wi-Fi and security check out <a href="http://arstechnica.com/paedia/w/wireless/security-1.html"; target="_blank">this article</a> over at <a href="http://www.arstechnica.com"; target="_blank">Ars</a>. I'd suggest picking up the latest issue of 2600 at your local Barnes or Borders, it has a great article on Wi-FI and its security issues/exploits.
[ 10-13-2002: Message edited by: serrano ]</p>
I say, talk to them, and set up some games!