IP: FBI probing 'war chalking'?

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: "Jim Thompson"<jim () netgate com>
Sent: 8/13/02 4:26:03 PM
To: "Dave Farber"<dave () farber net>
Cc: "doc () searls com"<doc () searls com>, "afr () netstumbler com"<afr () netstumbler com>
Subject: FBI probing 'war chalking'?

        
There is an Special Agent named "Bill Shore" in the Pittsburgh field 
office.
I've spoken to him, this is his. He forwarded it to an 'infoguard' list

Forwarded by my local Time-Warner/Road Runner 'insider'.

Jim

----------

From:    Bill Shore [mailto:billshore () fbi gov]
Sent:    Monday, July 08, 2002 9:56 AM
To:      billshore () fbi gov
Subject: Wireless networks - Warchalking/Wardriving


It has recently been brought to my attention that individuals/groups
have been actively working in the Pittsburgh area as well as other areas
of the United States including Philadelphia, and Boston, and the rest of
the world for that matter, to identify locations where wireless networks
are implemented.  This is done by a technique identified as
"Wardriving." Wardriving is accomplished by driving around in a vehicle
using a laptop computer equipped with appropriate hardware and software
http://www.netstumbler.com/ to identify wireless networks used in
commercial and/or residential areas.  Upon identifying a wireless
network, the access point can be marked with a coded symbol, or
"warchalked." This symbol will alert others of the presence of a
wireless network.  The network can then be accessed with the proper
equipment and utilized by the individual(s) to access the Internet,
download email, and potentially compromise your systems.  In Pittsburgh,
the individuals are essentially attempting to map the entire city to
identify the wireless access points, see here,


http://mapserver.zhrodague.net/cgi-
bin/mapserv?mode=browse&layer=all&layer=q
uadsheets&layer=borough&layer=roads&layer=ap&zoomdir=1&zoomsize=2&imgxy=458+
165&imgext=-80.175489+40.268422+-79.733217+40.621536&map=%2Fmnt%2Fhog%2Fwebs
ites%2Fmapserver%2Fpublic_html%2Fpa%2Fpgh.map&savequery=true&program=%2Fcgi-
bin%2Fmapserv&map_web_imagepath=%2Fmnt%2Fhog%2Fwebsites%2Fmapserver%2Fpublic
_html%2Ftmp%2F&map_web_imageurl=%2Ftmp%2F&img.x=250&img.y=197.


Also, check this article from pghwireless.com,
http://www.pghwireless.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19

Identifying the presence of a wireless network may not be a criminal
violation, however, there may be criminal violations if the network is
actually accessed including theft of services, interception of
communications, misuse of computing resources, up to and including
violations of the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Statute, Theft of
Trade Secrets, and other federal violations.  At this point, I am not
aware of any malicious activity that has been reported to the FBI here
in Pittsburgh, however, you are cautioned regarding this activity if you
have implemented a wireless network in your business.  You are also
highly encouraged to implement appropriate wireless security practices
to protect your information assets,
http://www.cert.org/research/isw/isw2001/papers/Kabara-31-08.pdf

There are several articles available with additional details including
http://www.warchalking.org as well as http://www.pghwireless.com.  A
copy of the coding symbols is attached in .pdf format.  If you notice
these symbols at your place of business, it is likely your network has


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