Secure thy wireless
This one time when I was taking a bus back home from work (yes, I do work sometimes) I was bored and popped open my laptop and my 3G wireless card (goes through the mobile operator) to surf the Internet, thus alleviating my boredom. And then I read about this small island in the middle of the Amazon getting Internet access. How appropriate.
So I said to myself: let’s check how many victims out there have unprotected wireless networks. I wasn’t going to connect, and the application I was using to discover the networks actually doesn’t let you connect (so I didn’t break any laws I am aware of).
Ok, so, let’s look what the Network stumber app discovered:
( SSID ) Time (GMT)
( Homer ) 19:33:53 (GMT)
( kapula ) 19:35:32 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:36:01 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:36:05 (GMT)
( Zorovic ) 19:36:06 (GMT)
( hpsetup ) 19:36:13 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:36:14 (GMT)
( default ) 19:36:35 (GMT)
( tz-rijeka ) 19:36:37 (GMT)
( bejb_connection ) 19:36:45 (GMT)
( HotSpot ) 19:37:16 (GMT)
( default ) 19:37:59 (GMT)
( HDZClanovi ) 19:38:05 (GMT)
( Vinalco ) 19:38:06 (GMT)
( Jadrolinija2 ) 19:38:11 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:38:20 (GMT)
( LR_AP_2 ) 19:38:23 (GMT)
( AgitRi ) 19:38:27 (GMT)
( LR_Bridge_1 ) 19:38:29 (GMT)
( BlueLemon ) 19:38:30 (GMT)
( Nomen ) 19:39:07 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint. ) 19:39:13 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:39:23 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:39:36 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:39:44 (GMT)
( IMBConnectionPoint ) 19:39:47 (GMT)
( www.LDT.biz.hr ) 19:39:47 (GMT)
( st.ord ) 19:40:21 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:41:05 (GMT)
( energija i tehnologija ) 19:41:07 (GMT)
( Ds-eling ) 19:41:08 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:41:15 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:42:04 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:42:27 (GMT)
( ExAP ) 19:42:29 (GMT)
( mreza ) 19:42:46 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:42:48 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:43:12 (GMT)
( acer ) 19:43:33 (GMT)
( RiWireless-Turnic2 ) 19:44:02 (GMT)
( texas ) 19:44:02 (GMT)
( dsnproject ) 19:44:04 (GMT)
( claus ) 19:44:39 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:45:41 (GMT)
( Konekcija ) 19:46:31 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:49:13 (GMT)
( ingens ) 19:50:07 (GMT)
( Irena ) 19:50:16 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:50:18 (GMT)
( KADENA_WiFi ) 19:50:21 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:50:25 (GMT)
( ConnectionPoint ) 19:51:02 (GMT)
( zMreza ) 19:54:52 (GMT)
Wow, 53 networks within half an hour (with a bus driver actually speeding his way to the top of the hill I live on). And listen to this: 27 of them didn’t have any encryption set up!
What does that do? Well first of all, most of them were Internet access points, and Internet is usually not flat-rate here. So there might be someone (neighbor, a guy in the car, or an unsuspecting tourist looking for a Net access) transferring the data you will pay for. Second, the culprit might be using your Net access for something illegal, which might leave the trail leading back to you. Third, your computer(s) are hooked up to a local network through the wireless. So if you are sharing something in the network (e.g. pictures) they will easily be accessible by an unwelcome visitor. Forth, on an unsecured network anyone can listen to the data you exchange, so just imagine that e-mail you are sending to your best friend being read by a stranger. The list goes on.
So SECURE THY WIRELESS.
Thank you, Mr. Non-Robin Hood of the Internet, for not stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Your post has truly been enlightening and I...nay, all of society, thanks you for your kind and instructive words. You have indeed made the world a better place.
Posted by John Rozelle | October 14, 2006 11:42 PM
I feel like this post is pointed at us... I tried to secure it really! but then it kicks us all off... thanks for the reminder, Zoran. We will work on it soon.
Posted by Taylor | October 15, 2006 5:31 PM
Well I pay for the Intenet access and wouldn't like anyone giving it to the poor. That would just not be fair. And I need to stress my job is not to make the world a better place, just to make it a better place for myself.
@Taylor - no, I wouldn't do that, like I didn't mention that to you a couple of months ago, repeatedly. Can't girls do anything by themselves? (that's a dare)
Posted by zoran | October 15, 2006 7:42 PM
ok...kada pises ovako komplicirane stvari daj stavi vise linkova da mogu procitati sto znaci ono sto si napisao...
inace..znam da se ponavljam, al daj pisi diplomski kad ti je dosadno!!!!!
Posted by Ma$a | October 15, 2006 7:52 PM
Javila se teta mentorica. Uskoro nastavljam raditi na dipl. :)
Posted by zoran | October 15, 2006 8:15 PM
I think its funny that in Croatian "Mentor" becomes "Mentorica".
Posted by Tim & Sara | October 25, 2006 12:54 AM
I do feel that you should know that a female form of 'mentor' might be 'mentorica'. So, yeah, my mentor is a lady.
Posted by zoran | October 26, 2006 1:05 AM
LOL ...www.LDT.biz.hr.. -look mom we're on the internet ...:)))
we'll I agree with zoky about people not protecting their networks but in our case there is a 128bit encryption, MAC filtering & 802.1x protocol to authenticate clients via a remote radius server thus leaving us with on purpose exposed SSID as a free domain publicity of one of our domains ;-D
Rooters are a relay cool toys for some of us that know how to use it… unfortunate it is to know that 90% of internet users in our region take equipment form internet providers that, in their own time, refuse to set up the damn thing as it should be, thus leaving users at good grease of “liches” like my self. Anyway, the point is that T-COM and co. should take the heat for any misuse of their equipment. Maybe in that case they would be more cooperative in explaining to the end-user how to set up their privet network securely.
Posted by Anonymous | November 03, 2006 10:19 AM
@www.LDT.biz.hr - I agree that T-com is to be blamed for not securing the customer's wireless router. Left that aside I am still astonished by the level of user ignorance concerning basic security issues.
I do apologize if you understood that I was listing your network as not secure. Actually I listed all the networks I bumped into, and stating that half were completely unsecured.
Posted by zoran | November 05, 2006 1:38 AM
@zoran - No need to apologize. I was merely expressing my view on the issue. Bu the way, great topic ;)
Posted by Anonymous | November 10, 2006 9:51 AM