Re: Wireless security

Unruh wrote:

I don't know where you live, but it is quite a serious offence here
(and everywhere in the EU, I think) to break into a computer system.

Who is breaking in? You advertise that you have a wifi access point, they
make use of it.

As I understood it, the discussion was about an access point with a WEP key.
Someone cracking any key in order to enter a computer
would in my view have committed a serious offence,
punishable in Ireland by a sentence of up to 10 years
(Criminal Damage Act 1991).

The method for breaking WEP is easily accessible, and what it
requires is to run a program. Do you really think that there are only 1000
people in Dublin capable of running programs?

It's probably easy enough to pick a lock,
but most people don't feel the urge to try it.

http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1824
for a discussion.

I agree that it is reasonably easy to crack WEP
(discussed in the above URL).

But as I said, a person would be very foolish
to try to break into my system,
as he would be risking serious punishment for zero gain.

Much of the security hysteria is generated by companies
with an interest in raising people's fears.
I find most of the media discussion of this matter
ludicrously mis-informed.

Most computer-related theft is very low-level,
eg phishing for simple-minded users.








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