wireless network ethics and security - again

[lord of the mark]

Last time I asked about the ethics of "borrowing" internet service.

Now its the reverse. I've finally set up our wireless router.

POTM thinks we should leave it unsecured for the amount of time that she was "borrowing" internet service from our neighbors. Fair payback. QOTM is horrified, shes afraid some nefarious person might do nefarious things and get us in trouble, not to mention snooping on her email. Ive suggested to POTM we "pay it forward" instead - do something good for the community, not necessarily provide the internet connection.

your thoughts on ethics, security issues, etc.

[Kuciwalker]

I'm pretty sure you won't get in trouble for what someone else does on your network precisely because you left it unsecured.

Don't take my word for it though

[Aeson]

The people you "borrowed" from almost surely won't be "borrowing" from you, so compensation in that manner is out. Your only recourse really is to "pay it forward" if you can't identify who it was you were "borrowing" from.

If you feel that "borrowing" was wrong, it seems straightforward that facilitating "borrowing" would also be wrong. You are "giving" it, but those "taking" aren't aware of that fact, They would be behaving as you did. For example, the person you were "borrowing" from might have been leaving it open for the same purpose you are now proposing.

I say secure the network. There are better ways to "pay it forward", people who need help far more than someone looking for net access.

[Pekka]

Secure it!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Singapore has actually begun to prosecute people (teenage boys, so far) for poaching internet service. And Singapore being Singapore, the penalties aren't just a stern talking to and a slap on the wrist.

This place is...different.

As for your dilemma: secure it, then do some other generous thing to keep your karma on its path.

[Dis]

Pekka makes sense.

Seriously, it's a pretty ****ty way to try to get out of feeling guilty. There are other ways of doing that.

[CerberusIV]

You do not want other people able to use/access your wireless router. Get a WEP key on it ASAP (WEP security isn't unbeatable but like a decent burglar alarm it keeps the amateurs out).

[snoopy369]

Absolutely secure. Absolutely. You CAN be held responsible for things done using your network, particularly if there's no easy way to show it WASN'T your computer. (If your router doesn't keep track of MAC addresses for very long, it's quite possible you wouldn't be able to prove it was an outsider.)

Anyway, beyond that, remember that anyone on your router is:
1. Behind your best firewall [your hardware firewall, ie the router]
2. On your LAN, and therefore able to get past some security protocol (many programs, ie FTP servers and such, permit administrative use only from LAN connections)
3. Likely to assume you have a poorly secured computer, and try to hack it. Even if you have a fairly secure computer(s), you are at risk because you're attracting attention this way.

Like Dis says, if you feel guilty, go pay your neighbors or something. Or, even better, show them what WEP encryption is and why they need it. That's doing them a bigger favor than anything else ...

[Tim_Augustus]

Originally posted by snoopy369
Absolutely secure. Absolutely. You CAN be held responsible for things done using your network, particularly if there's no easy way to show it WASN'T your computer. (If your router doesn't keep track of MAC addresses for very long, it's quite possible you wouldn't be able to prove it was an outsider.)

Anyway, beyond that, remember that anyone on your router is:
1. Behind your best firewall [your hardware firewall, ie the router]
2. On your LAN, and therefore able to get past some security protocol (many programs, ie FTP servers and such, permit administrative use only from LAN connections)
3. Likely to assume you have a poorly secured computer, and try to hack it. Even if you have a fairly secure computer(s), you are at risk because you're attracting attention this way.

Like Dis says, if you feel guilty, go pay your neighbors or something. Or, even better, show them what WEP encryption is and why they need it. That's doing them a bigger favor than anything else ...

QFT

Except that WEP security is notoriously weak and any wireless router or access point released in the last 2-3 years should have WPA security, which is more secure.

[Jon Miller]

Umm, most people who leach internet don't try to hack it. I have known many many unsecure networks (even people who purposely leave theirs unsecure) and none have had any problems.

They are right that it might be possible for you to get looked into, if there is a child porn person who leaches from you. But they would look on your computer and find nothing, and so you wouldn't get anything but annoyed.

JM

[Tim_Augustus]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
Umm, most people who leach internet don't try to hack it. I have known many many unsecure networks (even people who purposely leave theirs unsecure) and none have had any problems.

They are right that it might be possible for you to get looked into, if there is a child porn person who leaches from you. But they would look on your computer and find nothing, and so you wouldn't get anything but annoyed.

JM

Do you leave your front door wide open, just because most people aren't burglars or petty crims?

[Jon Miller]

If I am arround, I have at times. Once more, I have several freinds who do.

I actually do secure mine, with WPA2 or something.

JM

[LordShiva]

WPA > WEP.

Secure it.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Aeson
The people you "borrowed" from almost surely won't be "borrowing" from you, so compensation in that manner is out. Your only recourse really is to "pay it forward" if you can't identify who it was you were "borrowing" from.

If you feel that "borrowing" was wrong, it seems straightforward that facilitating "borrowing" would also be wrong. You are "giving" it, but those "taking" aren't aware of that fact, They would be behaving as you did. For example, the person you were "borrowing" from might have been leaving it open for the same purpose you are now proposing.

I say secure the network. There are better ways to "pay it forward", people who need help far more than someone looking for net access.

Of course we all know that the people who would be taking wouldnt be the same people we "borrowed" it from. POTM is thinking in Kantian terms, bless her heart. Act so you could will it a universal law, do unto others, yada, yada. She got internet service while her parents dithered about the home network cause some kind folks didnt secure their network, and now she feels its only fair to do the same.

I did secure the network using the Wep stuff. I think our router software tracks use. I will look into the other.

Actually paying the unsecured folks, or explaining to them the benefits of being secured wouldnt be that easy. We live in a townhouse development, and it could be any of dozens of folks. I somehow dont think knocking on every door and asking folks if they have an unsecured wireless network is an idea that either POTM or QOTM would be comfortable with.

POTM has decided she might bake cookies for the neighbors instead.

[Proteus_MST]

Better it is,
but I agree with all people mentioning that WPA or WPA 2 is better than WEP (of course WEP still is better than nothing )
And turn your SSID Broadcast off
Network security shouldn´t be taken too lightly. Better being too paranoid than putting your private data at risk

Baking cookies is a good idea as it benefits the neighbors directly, instead of benefitting some unknown strangers who never gave you any of their bandwith (and probably never would)

Edited: It´s baking, not naking