[P1] Hot Spots in the U.S.

[Jack Rodgers]

On Saturday, February 1, 2003, at 12:51  AM, viaoddbrainstorm wrote:

> I think you missed my point.  How about watching a neighbors pay 
> television through an uncovered window  from  the street.

You might get arrested for being a peeping tom or violating your 
neighbors privacy or some other such law.

> Similarly anyone with a wireless network transmitting into a public 
> space using public airwaves who doesn't take steps to insure their 
> privacy really shouldn't be bothered by someone launching an e-mail 
> app and retrieving their mail wirelessly.

Again, this attitude is fostered by the desire to get something for 
nothing or a free lunch and not a knowledge of any laws.

> That is hardly analogous to tapping phone lines or breaking into a 
> password protected network; both of which are wrong (unless of course 
> one is operating under the protections of the Patriot Act, then I 
> suppose it would be for the good of America, and by consequence world 
> citizens alike).

Again, the desire for a free lunch causes the creation of self serving 
logic.

What is left unconsidered are the possible dangers in getting a free 
ride off of someone else's wifi. These involve any possible legal 
problems, you don't know who put up the unprotected connection and what 
they might do to you (hacker, etc), your password, email and surfing 
are easily seen by someone else, there may be no firewall protection, 
etc. There are all sorts of interesting scenarios where getting that 
free lunch could turn out to be quite expensive.

Remember, every bit of data that flows into and out of the wifi base 
station can be intercepted and read by someone controlling the base 
station just as a phone can be tapped.

Some one said someone said that the cpu serial number can't be read 
(would be tossed out in court as hearsay, I would imagine). Don't need 
to. You are sending your ISP account name and password when you log in 
for your email. Each email header has your address and other 
identifying info. The date and time sent for instance might prove you 
were using their wifi channel while eating in their cafeteria, proven 
by your charge card receipt. If you use a microsoft mailer, it may even 
include the id or serial number of the mailer. And then there are 
cookies.

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Lobate Black Scale -- A Photo Essay By Jack Rodgers
http://www.jackrodgers.com