[ale] [Fwd: Re: wireless at Starbucks]

[Geoffrey]

Damn thing bounced.  Anyone else having this problem???

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [ale] wireless at Starbucks
Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:26:21 -0400
From: Geoffrey <lists at serioustechnology.com>
To: ale at ale.org
References: <200868165213.859162 at desktop>

Robert Reese~ wrote:
> I wrote:
>> I would agree with you there, but if my neighbor leaves his keys in
>>  his car with the door unlocked, I'm not going to take it for a 
>> spin. Even if I know he's not going to be using during the time I 
>> would be away.
> 
> That's an excellent analogy.  I wouldn't take it for a spin either,
> but then I wouldn't hesitate to use it if I had to take my child to
> the hospital if I had no other method of transportation.  But while
> you or I wouldn't take it for a spin, your neighbor really doesn't
> have much to complain about if someone else does; the only thing he
> is lacking is an flashing red neon sign saying, "Ride Me".

That's a totally different spin on the whole thing as you've thrown in a
whole different variable.  In the same situation, I'd break into my
neighbors house, take their keys and car. (assuming they weren't home)
My expectation is, my neighbor would understand, but wouldn't concern me
if they didn't.  I've certainly broken traffic laws in the past when my
child's welfare was at stake.

> There is a slight difference in the analogy compared to wireless: the
> law is codified to still say it is illegal to use the vehicle.  I
> know of no such law here in GA or the U.S. Federal law that prohibits
> its use.

The car or the network?  If you're talking about the car, seems those
two lines contradict each other.

> Nor should there be, as it shirks a person of their
> personal responsibility.  OTOH, if someone provides prudent and
> reasonable attempts to secure their network and someone deliberate
> circumvents that security, then it is reasonable to criminalize that
> activity.

Ah, define reasonable.  The car is a good analogy.  My car is more
secure then my neighbors as mine is in my garage, his is not.

> To extend that to your analogy, let's say you don't leave
> your keys in the car, and someone uses their _own_ key in your car
> (there are only about 50 different key cuts needed for each
> door/ignition keyway).  You've take prudent and reasonable action to
> prevent the use of your vehicle.  ;c)

Have you ever seen the show 'bait car?'  Pretty much the same thing,
only the engine isn't running and the doors are closed, but the keys are
there and the doors are not locked.  Take the car and you're going to jail.

> I'll posit that someone that just plugs in a wireless router without
> bothering to secure it is not only "leaving the keys in the ignition
> and the door unlocked" but has the door standing wide open with the
> engine running whilst in a "bad part of town" at midnight.

I would tend to disagree, as I think the 'part of town' is a big part of
the puzzle.  I would expect more attempts at attaching to a unsecured
network at, say a college campus, then in my neighborhood.

> Personally, I've been known to access the router's management and
> change the SSID to U_R_HACKED and securing the wifi with a random WEP
> key at its maximum length.  With the exception of one case the router
> was fixed and secured within one day. I just wish I had been a fly on
> the wall of the owner when they discovered this!  The word
> "priceless" comes to mind.  ;c)  BTW, the one case where I've done
> this and the owner has not yet fixed or replaced it (over one year
> now) obviously only uses the router as a wired router; I've done the
> owner a favor without her or she realizing it.

I would hope you knew the person, because I suspect that you could
likely be dragged into court of the issue.

Just the same, I have printed to a shared printer on one of my neighbors
networks, as a joke.  The output said: "your network is not secure, call
me if you'd like me to help you with that, you neighbor Geof."  Of
course, we were on friendly terms, so he got a kick out of it.  His
wife, on the other hand, didn't find it humorous at all. ;)

-- 
Until later, Geoffrey

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little
temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
  - Benjamin Franklin


-- 
Until later, Geoffrey

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little
temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
  - Benjamin Franklin