India May Make Open Wi-Fi Hotspots Illegal Because terrorists couldn't possibly bypass WEP An Economic Times report (via Slashdot) indicates that India is considering making unsecured hotspots illegal. The motivation isn't freeloaders or child pornographers this time, it's the fact that bombers in the country have recently been using open Wi-Fi access points to send e-mail to one another. Given that hiding identifiers and hacking WEP takes all of a minute, it's hard to think how this actually helps cure terrorism, but the idea has strong traction at the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), who wants to somehow make ISPs responsible. "All ISPs may be instructed to ensure that their subscribers using wireless devices must use effective authentication mechanisms and permit access to internet to only authorised persons using wireless devices," says the report.
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 | | We'll be next think this might come here? this isn't a practical law though. it would be nearly impossible to enforce. | |
|  |  TechieZeroTools Are Using MePremium
join:2002-01-25
Gibsonton, FL | Re: We'll be next Not only has this not happened, but we aren't India. So no. | |
| | |  DrModemPremium
join:2006-10-19
USA
kudos:1 | Re: We'll be next India has for more problems with terrorists than we do. | |
| | | |  SLDPremium
join:2002-04-17
San Francisco, CA | Re: We'll be next That's because the current administration has been doing a fine job of dismantling this country all by itself. If we every vote in competent leadership, they may bother to attack us again  | |
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| |  swhx7Premium
join:2006-07-23
Elbonia | The only reason it will be unenforceable is that the government is planning to have ISPs enforce it, and they're not in a position to do so. Even if they require use of their own router for connection (which would be bad enough), users could work around it by installing their own on the LAN.
But it could be enforced by a prohibition addressed to users. A "wardriving" vehicle could go around and check for unsecured wireless, trace it to the access point and prosecute the owner.
There have been some proposals like this at the local level in USA (based on malware, ID theft, filesharing, etc.). | |
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| KearnstdElf WizardPremium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | in the US though you could never make running an insecure hotspot an offence that could be a true legal charge. smarter would be the wardrive crew to educate the homeowner.
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 rgoulet
join:2000-10-27
Pittsburgh, PA | This doesn't go far enough The terrorists can still coordinate their efforts using SMS, cell phones, encoded newspaper adverts, landline phones, and old fashioned face to face meetings in public.
Therefore, to ensure public safety, and thwart anyone now labeled or anyone who could be in the future labeled a terrorist, the Indian government should...
1. Make public phones illegal.
2. Force registration of all cell phones, requiring a passport and birth certificate as well as enforcing a 5 days waiting period to own one.
3. Make holding a conversation either by phone, cell phone, or in person, illegal without the supervision of an approved government agent.
4. Outlaw the sealing of envelopes so the postal service can easily monitor exchanges.
Should these measures fail India's government should must strictly regulate and monitor all human interaction, and possibly criminalize it. | |
| |  Quake110Premium
join:2003-12-20
Ottawa, ON | Re: This doesn't go far enough Why stop there, they should start banning all sort of human interaction such as talking, gestures, writing... | |
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 Romney2012Defeat Obama 2012-Chg we can believe inPremium
join:2002-03-03
USA
kudos:4 |  Good public plan; but hard to enforce
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| | | | Re: Good public plan; but hard to enforce The report doesn't give the complete picture. The terrorists were using unsecured hotspots to send emails to authorities claiming responsibility and in the process the officials spent unnecessary time interviewing people who had nothing to do with it. Recently, it was an American tourist who got into trouble because the terrorists hacked his email and he had to undergo a lot of interrogation because of this.
Mind you, wi-fi hotspots are not as prevalent in India as it is in the US. | |
| |  funchordsHelloPremium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Yarmouth Port, MA
kudos:5 | said by Romney2012:It could give a nice boost to the ISPs Some days you are brilliant, said by Romney2012: and allow more money for broadband expansion. and some days you are really a comic-book character.
We've had essentially no broadband expansion in the past two years. Flat. Nothing. We've fallen from the top 5 to below the top 20 in broadband penetration. It's not for the lack of demand: wireless data plans have tripled or quadrupled in their income over the same time. But instead of digging new ground (roughly $1000-2000 per new customer), it's cheaper for ISPs to buy one another -- and, in the few markets where there are choices -- influence customers to switch.
There would be no broadband expansion if this came here (which it won't).
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| | | Romney2012Defeat Obama 2012-Chg we can believe inPremium
join:2002-03-03
USA
kudos:4 | Re: Good public plan; but hard to enforce said by funchords: said by Romney2012: and allow more money for broadband expansion. and some days you are really a comic-book character. Sinking to the level of the usual flamers here. Disappointing!!
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| | | | funchordsHelloPremium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Yarmouth Port, MA
kudos:5 | Re: Good public plan; but hard to enforce said by Romney2012:Sinking to the level of the usual flamers here. Disappointing!! No, the usual flamers don't give you any credit when it is due and don't take the time to explain what they think is wrong with your position. Hopefully, I'm not like that.
It was also meant to be a bit in jest, sorry that was not communicated well. Please take it as such.
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| |  DogfatherPremium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA | said by funchords:some days you are really a comic-book character. Pot, meet kettle. | |
| | | | funchordsHelloPremium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Yarmouth Port, MA
kudos:5 | Re: Good public plan; but hard to enforce said by Dogfather:said by funchords:some days you are really a comic-book character. Pot, meet kettle. Well you and I have gone rounds, too, but again -- I have standards. If I treat you badly, please call me on it.
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| | ISPs doing the enforcing? "All ISPs may be instructed to ensure that their subscribers using wireless devices must use effective authentication mechanisms and permit access to internet to only authorised persons using wireless devices"
I don't seen any feasible way of an ISP determining one has a wireless router at his/her premises, let alone ensuring that it is encrypted. | |
| | | | Re: ISPs doing the enforcing? The basic internet install + PC setup is still done by the ISP
though broadband, some isp's have a username password system (like dialup) that needs to be launched from the connecting PC.
Broadband penetration is still not so deep in India.
villages are still getting phones now.
»economictimes.indiatimes.com/art···7658.cms | |
| | | | said by swhitney2003:"All ISPs may be instructed to ensure that their subscribers using wireless devices must use effective authentication mechanisms and permit access to internet to only authorised persons using wireless devices" I don't seen any feasible way of an ISP determining one has a wireless router at his/her premises, let alone ensuring that it is encrypted. Me either. While the law I think is a good idea, I see no practical way of enforcing it. The only thing I can think of is accessing the unsecured hotspot and maybe print out the network information somehow? *shrugs* I dunno sounds like to me it would be a lot of effort and work for the police to do on something that would be only a non-criminal violation.
There is something that a ISP can do when it comes to new customers, have the tech ask if the customer has a wireless router and if the customer does, ask if he/she has it secure. If the customer doesn't have a secure hotspot the tech should offer to secure it for the customer. Something like this shouldn't take the tech more than five minutes to do.
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| | KearnstdElf WizardPremium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | i think if routers had a standardized OS, then ISPs would be more willing to support customer owned routers.
though i guess they could just say they only openly assist in the configuration of Linksys and Netgear routers(which wouldnt be any different then how they only do Windows and Mac atm computer wise).
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 jgkoltPremium
join:2004-02-21
Lakewood, OH | wep They can't crack blackberrys what 128 or 64 bit training but they think that wep is secure. bah.
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| ebubman
join:2002-01-17
Mechanicsburg, PA | ?? i wonder if companies in india have call centers in the united states? | |
| | | lol ill just find an open hotspot and create the WEP and lockout the user, if their smart enough to get back into the device then they will have learned to lock it down so it would be a learning experience. If they didn't then hey I will always have an open connection in the area lol. | |
| | | Not very hard to accomplish really If, by default, routers came with standard WEP installation instructions and requirements, I can see how WEP may be enabled automatically.
Part of the setup would require entering the WEP code that came with the router/service.
Of course, all the current/old routers would still need to be attended to. That would be the impractical part. | |
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