Steal Wi-Fi In Maryland? Face 3 Year Prison Stretch > Security Security Security

Security Security Security

I would think that 3 years is a bit harsh punishment unless illegal activities were performed with the connection.

Perhaps the punishments should be for the ones who are carelessly allowing unauthorized access to their connection.

If there is really a big problem with this, maybe private industry with help from local districts, can advertise a service to help people to secure their wi-fi. Thereby helping the local economy and putting people to work instead of in jail.

reply to jonnyb
Because a vast majority don't know, or care, about security concerns revolving around their home computers. And it's not just a matter of running a disc.

Well you should absolutely care about security especially in other countries where isp's charge by the byte but thats a whole other story. It is extremely simple to set up a secure connection and it is a matter of running a disc with some very easy questions what do you want your ssid to be and what do you want to name ur connection a monkey could do it.

reply to gaforces
Use higher fines and no jail time. It's a waste of resources to jail someone like this. Besides these freeloaders are often cheap asses and they are just looking for free internet. Hit them where it hurts a cheap ass the most, in the pocket.

reply to gaforces
Its more about getting them to pay the $1,000 into annapolis' pocket. The state is hitting all IT related issues in order to come up with more money for their reckless spending.

edit: $1,000 fine not $10,000....well for now. I would not put it past them to increase the fine.

reply to jonnyb
It is extremely simple for me, but it is not extremely simple for a lot of other people. Your monkey may be able to setup and secure an AP in some situations, but it is by no means commonplace for a "point and click" secure AP. How many people actually read the documentation, or even look at the CD that came with their Linksys AP? My guess is very few.

reply to gaforces
Scrap the three years - if they freeload someone else's wi-fi connection it means the owner has broadband. Make the freeloader pay the victims ISP Bill for the next 3 years. That is what, $3600 if they're on FIOS?

Oh wait, the state doesn't profit.....
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"My weakness is that I care too much"

reply to jonnyb
In my experience, those quick set up disc's have not supported Macs. I just purchased a wireless router from Cisco recently, disc was windows only.

I did in fact have the knowledge, in advance, of how to set up a wireless network.

reply to gaforces

reply to battleop
Exactly, and on the flipside the judge should also berate the person who didn't secure his Wi-Fi after convicting the person who freeloaded off of their connection. Don't make yourself a target and secure your hotspot!
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True Happiness Must Come From Within

reply to TamaraB

reply to openbox9

reply to gaforces

reply to bent
Of course the public is learning. I didn't mean to imply that they aren't. What I did mean to imply is that the majority don't know or care about security as much as people that may frequent forums like this. And securing your wireless network still isn't as easy as "running a disc". BTW, secured (mostly WEP) vs unsecured APs in my neighbourhood is about 50/50.

reply to openbox9
You should help those folks out like I do.

If I come across an open AP that *also* has the default username and password *and* also has admin via the wan enabled, I realize that the owner is signalling me for assistance in securing his wireless network.

I've never been good about declining a reasonable request, so I obligingly change the admin username and password, set wpa2 on the router, and choose an appropriate sid - like 'reset_me' or 'man_man' or 'rtfm'.

I know that the owner *means* to be responsible and is just requesting a little encouragement. I provide that encouragement.

When I'm bored I can 'rehabilitate' dozens of ap's in a day.

reply to gaforces

reply to jonnyb
It is beyond people for the same reason that the Code Red worm (which took advantage of an already-patchable security hole in Windows NT 4 and Windows 2000 computers; Windows XP-based computers were utterly immune) exploded; most *don't want to be bothered*. All too many folks are barely beyond the simple-user satage when it comes to the computers they actually own (Ever watch the Video Professor ads where the mom shamefacedly admits going to her school-age *daughter* for computer-usage advice? And said daughter is in elementary, not high, school!). Mac users, are, in fact, even worse than Windows users (a trend that Apple is fostering, by the way) when it comes to security.