"Steal This Wi-Fi" - Bruce Schneier

Every time I speak or write about my security setup, the only thing that surprises people - and draws more criticism - is the fact that I run a wireless network at home. There is no password. There is no encryption. Anyone with wireless capabilities, which can see my network can be used to access the Internet.

For me, it is the basic courtesy. Providing access to the Internet for guests is the mode of supply of electricity and heat, or a cup of hot tea. But to some observers, is both wrong and dangerous.

I said that the foreign side may sit in their cars in front of my house and use my network to send spam, hear my password, and upload and download everything from pirate films for pornography. As a result, I risk all sorts of bad things happening to me, to see my IP address for the police blacklist crash through my door.

While this is technically true, does not seem much of a risk. I can count five wireless networks and open coffee shops within a mile from my home, and every potential spammers are much more likely to sit in a room with a hot cup of coffee and a muffin that in a cold car outside my home. And yes, if someone has committed a crime using my network the police could visit, but the best defense is there that the fact that I have open wireless network? If I enabled security on my wireless network and someone hacked, I would have a very difficult time to prove my innocence.

This is not to say that the new wireless security protocol, WPA, is not very good. Yes. But there will be security problems in it, and we are forever.

I have spoken with many lawyers on this, and in their way of lawyerly outlined a number of other risks by leaving open network.

While no one thought you could be successfully prosecuted only because someone else used the network to commit a crime, any investigation could be time-consuming and expensive. You may have your seized computer, and if you have any smuggling of your on your machine, it could be a delicate situation. In addition, prosecutors are not always the most technically savvy bunch, and you might end up being charged, despite your innocence. Lawyers I spoke with say that the majority of defence lawyers suggest reach a plea agreement, rather than risk going to trial on child-pornography charges.

In a less far-fetched scenario, the Recording Industry Association of America is known to sue copyright infringers based on nothing more than an IP address. The accused the probability of winning is higher than in a criminal proceeding, civil litigation because the burden of proof is lower. And again, lawyers argue that, although winning is not worth the risk or expense, and that we should solve and pay a few thousand dollars.

I remain convinced of this threat, however. The RIAA has conducted approximately 26000 causes, and there are more than 15 million downloads of music. Mark Mulligan of Jupiter Research said that the best: "If you are a file sharer, you know that the risk of being caught is very similar to that of being hit by an asteroid.

They are also faced by those who say I am putting my data at risk, because hackers could park in front of my house, my network access to air and listen to my internet traffic or break into my computer. This is true, but my computer is much more at risk during use on wireless networks in airports, cafes and other public places. If I configure my computer to be secure, regardless of network, then simply do not matter. And if my computer is not secure on a public network, securing my network is not Corsican reduce risks greatly.

Yes, computer security is difficult. But if your computer leave your house, you have to resolve anyway. And any solution will apply to machines as your desktop.

Finally, critics say that someone could steal width Banda from me. Despite isolated judgments that this is illegal, my feeling is that we are welcome. I really do not mind if my neighbors use the wireless network when they need it, and I have heard several stories of people who have been saved by emergency connectivity to open wireless networks nearby.

Similarly, I appreciate open network when I am otherwise without width Banda. If someone were using my network, to the point that it affected my traffic or if some neighbor kid was dinking around, I might want to do something about it, but as long as we are all polite, because this concern? Pay it forward, I say.

Of course, this does not deal with Internet service providers. Running a wireless network open often violate the terms of service. But despite the cease-and-desist occasional letter and suppliers to get pissy at people exceeding some secrets limit width of Banda, this is not a big risk. The worst thing that will happen to you is that you will have to find a new ISP.

A company called Fon has an interesting approach to this problem. Fon wireless access points have two wireless networks: a safe one for you, and open one by one all the others. You can configure your network open in both "Bill" or "Linus": In the first, people pay to use the network, and you have to pay to use any other wireless network Fon. In standby mode, Linus, anyone can use the network, and you can use any other Fon free wireless network. It is a brilliant idea.

Security is always a trade-off. I know people who rarely lock the front door, which lead in the rain (and, while using a cellphone) and that speaks to strangers. In my opinion, ensure my wireless network is not worth it. And I appreciate all the others who still open wireless network, including all the coffee shops, bars and libraries that I visited in the past, the Dayton International Airport, where I started to write this and the Four Points Sheraton, where I finished. You all make the world a better place.

Source - http://www.wired.com/politics/security/commentary/securitymatters/2008/01/securitymatters_0110

Bookmark/Search this post with:

| | | | | | |