Re: Interlopers on the WLAN

["Kyle R. Hofmann" <krh () lemniscate net>]

On Tue, 05 Nov 2002 12:41:10 -0500, "Moody, Thomas (Contractor) (DDC)" wrote:
> I would have to agree with Al on this one.  Not implementing security
> measures, is like leaving the front door to a store open after hours. 
> The fact that someone just 'waltzes' in and steals all your goods does
> not mean that a crime was not committed.  However, the owner would be
> looked at rather as rather stupid if he ran a business in such a
> fashion.

I disagree.  If someone steals your goods, he has committed theft, whether or
not you tried to protect those goods.  Protecting one's goods (one's wireless
network) provides two things:

1) It proves that your goods are not meant to be taken.
2) It protects your goods from those who would take them.

The first is a defense against accidental theft.  The second is a defense
against malicious theft.  Either one is still theft, but protecting your goods
allows you to distinguish between the blameless, accidental thieves (who,
upon seeing that your goods are not meant for their use, will not use them),
and the malicious thieves (who know or suspect that your goods are not meant
for their use but use them anyway).

Since WEP is not impenetrable, it does not fully protect your goods from
malicious thieves.  Nevertheless it still proves that your goods are not meant
for general use; that, as we all seem to agree, is its utility.

-- 
Kyle R. Hofmann <krh () lemniscate net>

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