[Rooftops] Hiawatha Bray thinks open WiFi nodes are a threat

[Jim Youll]

I only exaggerated a little to get your attention... Bray leads his  
column today with a suggestion that kiddie porn, yes kiddie porn, will  
be zipping down to your cable modem and flying out the window to that  
dirty old man next door thru your access point! Beware! (sample size  
for this conclusion was N=2+[a promise that there are "many more"]).

This should sell a bit more cable modem service for Comcast, as the  
terrified and frightened unshare their access points and the dirty old  
men move to Starbucks... or maybe the Media Lab... or maybe to one of  
the cities that's going all-wireless-for-everyone... or to libraries.

Future wireless victims beware! For the maximum security, turn off your  
wireless router and unplug it. Completely. All the wires. Occasionally,  
sleaze and filth can leak into a router *even if it's turned off but  
still plugged into the Internet*. Newer routers contain software that  
prevents this from happening. Even with those, it's safest to never,  
ever turn them on because of the danger of sleaze they pose to home  
owners, children and pets. [1]

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FULL STORY:  
http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2004/10/25/ 
take_the_trouble_to_block_wifi_poachers/

Take the trouble to block WiFi poachers
By Hiawatha Bray  |  October 25, 2004

If you have wireless Internet access at home, your next-door neighbor  
could have it as well, without paying for it. He can just use yours. No  
problem if he's just shopping on Amazon.com or e-mailing Grandma. But  
what if he's sending spam messages or downloading kiddie porn?

It happens, and that should surprise nobody. WiFi wireless networking  
systems can provide Internet service up to 300 feet away, with signals  
that can punch through brick walls. So anybody within range can get a  
taste of your bandwidth, and use it for any purpose, noble or  
malignant. It's up to them.

Actually it's up to you. With a little effort, you can seal off your  
WiFi router from unwelcome guests. If you leave it unprotected, it  
could become a hangout for a variety of digital sleazebags.

.. MORE ..
http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2004/10/25/ 
take_the_trouble_to_block_wifi_poachers/
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[1] Bray didn't write that. I did. It was intended to be ironic and  
wry, but it's early and I'm not trying very hard. Also, Halloween treat  
apples usually have razor blades in them.