[ale] heads up - warning - you could be sharing comcast wifi without knowing it

Wed Jun 12 09:24:57 EDT 2013

Innaresting.  In fact I do run two routers on two different ip ranges, one
private and one public.  The public one is running coova (
http://coova.org/) and requires a click-through agreement to use
unless you're one of my
machines.  The other side requires a password.  I'd be outraged if someone
set this system up on my network without my permission or knowledge,
however.

-- CHS

On Wed, Jun 12, 2013 at 9:02 AM, Pete Hardie <pete.hardie at gmail.com> wrote:

> So if someone uses this free wifi access to hack one of my machines, is
> Comcast liable?
>
> Pete Hardie
> --------
> Better Living Through Bitmaps
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 12, 2013 at 8:55 AM, Edward Holcroft <eholcroft at mkainc.com>wrote:
>
>> <snip>
>> Don't see how it would be against the law.  They're going to replace a
>> device they own connected to a service they own with another device
>> they own connected to a service they own?
>>
>>
>> This may be true, but I certainly felt my discomfort level rise when I
>> saw this article. Not so much on the threat level, but more on the "Comcast
>> are cheeky bastards" level. They may own the device and the service, but
>> they do not own my house nor my electrical supply. The way Comcast nickels
>> and dimes one, I'd want to return the favor and charge them an exorbitant
>> rental for housing and powering their public wifi device on private
>> property. I could throw in (without even asking them if they want it) an
>> unexpected $3.95 monthly fee for preventative dusting of the device "to
>> ensure maximum operating efficiency". Or how about a fee to ensure that
>> their public wifi device is not tampered with, since they are now
>> effectively regarding people's homes as public spaces, and you know,
>> anything can go wrong in a public space.
>>
>> Actually, now that I think about it, to heck with them on this one. I'd
>> share my wifi with the neighbors for free, but as long as it's Comcast, or
>> any private company behind it, they can forget about profiting with my
>> cooperation. I'm sure this list can come up with multiple ways to make this
>> atrocious idea fail.
>>
>> ed
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jun 11, 2013 at 9:45 PM, David Tomaschik <
>> david at systemoverlord.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On Tue, Jun 11, 2013 at 5:17 PM, Ron Frazier (ALE)
>>> <atllinuxenthinfo at techstarship.com> wrote:
>>> > Hi guys,
>>> >
>>> > I thought you'd like to know about this.  I heard the host on the Tech
>>> News
>>> > Today podcast ( http://twit.tv/tnt ) say something similar to the
>>> following:
>>> > Comcast will be expanding its wifi network by putting wifi gateways in
>>> > Xfinity users homes. ... Comcast users will get free access. ...
>>> Guests get
>>> > two free accesses. ... If you don't want to participate, you have to
>>> opt
>>> > out.
>>> >
>>> <snip>
>>> >
>>> > Supposedly, they replace your cable modem with this new wifi gateway
>>> device.
>>> > It broadcasts two wifi signals.  You log into one of them and use YOUR
>>> > service as normal.  Guests login into the other, for free if they are
>>> > Comcast Xfinity customers, and get two free accesses if they're not
>>> Xfinity
>>> > customers.  SUPPOSEDLY, the 2nd connection is independent of the main
>>> one,
>>> > and it doesn't reduce your bandwidth.  Yeah, I believe that.  The
>>> APPARENT
>>> > plan is to replace all the gateways and enable this internet sharing
>>> without
>>> > the customer's knowledge.  That's got to be against the law somehow.
>>>
>>> Don't see how it would be against the law.  They're going to replace a
>>> device they own connected to a service they own with another device
>>> they own connected to a service they own?
>>>
>>> > Now, I know some people willingly share their wifi.  I'm not one of
>>> them.  I
>>> > have my wfi encrypted with long ugly passwords.  There are 3 main
>>> reasons.
>>> > 1) Any other user on my modem is a potential security risk.
>>>
>>> I don't know how they have implemented this, but it would be trivial
>>> to assign a 2nd public IP (or even NAT through a single
>>> neighborhood-wifi-network IP) for the 2nd hotspot and route all
>>> traffic over that.  In that case, a user connected to that has the
>>> same amount of access as anyone else on the internet.
>>>
>>> > 2) It does
>>> > reduce my bandwidth and performance.
>>>
>>> Citation needed.  The biggest limitation to your bandwidth is the
>>> traffic shaping comcast performs at their head end unit.  If the
>>> "public" hotspot is shaped separately, then I don't see how it would
>>> impact your bandwidth.  *Maybe* you could make an argument regarding
>>> wifi interference, but a 2nd hotspot on your device won't be any
>>> different from a 2nd device somewhere nearby.
>>>
>>> > 3)  If someone else does something
>>> > illegal while connected to your wifi, the police can ( and HAVE )
>>> showed up
>>> > at your door and arrest you.  You then have to prove you didn't do it
>>> and
>>> > it's a royal mess.
>>>
>>> Actually, no, the prosecution still has to prove you did it (at least,
>>> legally), but yes, I suppose it could cause some headaches, unless
>>> they can look at wifi hotspot vs private network.  Not sure how that
>>> would work.
>>>
>>> > Regardless, no ISP should be able to enable this type of access
>>> without the
>>> > user's knowledge and consent.
>>>
>>> On this, I agree.  This should be with the user's consent, but I don't
>>> see it as a big bad threat.
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> David Tomaschik
>>> OpenPGP: 0x5DEA789B
>>> http://systemoverlord.com
>>> david at systemoverlord.com
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Edward Holcroft | Madsen Kneppers & Associates Inc.
>> 3020 Holcomb Bridge Rd. NW | Norcross, GA 30071
>> O (770) 446-9606 | M (678) 587-8649
>>
>> MADSEN, KNEPPERS & ASSOCIATES USA, MKA Canada Inc.
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