Re: Interlopers on the WLAN

["R. DuFresne" <dufresne () sysinfo com>]

On 5 Nov 2002, Frank O'Dwyer wrote:

> I think it ought to make a difference if an attempt has been made to
> secure the network. Otherwise you are expecting people to read your mind
> as to whether you intend the network to be private or not. For all its
> faults, WEP is at least a fairly large clue that the network is intended
> to be private.
>
> But if you haven't even turned WEP on, then who's to say whether your
> network is supposed to be for employees only, or an access hotspot for
> anyone who passes by. It's not like you left your door unlocked or
> something, it's more like you hung a big orange sign on your door saying
> "welcome!". The very fact that you're broadcasting the ESSID with no
> security measures whatsoever could be reasonably construed as a public
> invitation to connect.
>
> Similarly if you had a publicly accessible system which popped up
> "welcome to the foo system" and logged you straight in with no password,
> (rather than "this system is private property and unauthorised access is
> not permitted", followed by a login prompt) then you would (and should)
> have a tough time pressing charges against anyone who connected.

What's interesting about this point, is there are a number of public
access AP's in various cities/countries available, including many if not
most all airports, at least here in the states.  Thus, it seems perhaps
there might well be a solid basis for those jumping into your open wlan
that they in fact considered it a public access point.  All the more
reason to invoke WEP with the addition of Banners to announce the privacy
of the wlan.  Of course the importance of banners has long been argued in
the security related lists.


Thanks,

Ron DuFresne
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