Re: Is it safe to use a stranger's WiFi channel ?

From: Rico (rico_001_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 11/16/05 

Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 18:17:02 GMT

In article <84zmo463wy.fsf@ripco.com>, comphelp@toddh.net (Todd H.) wrote:
>"wylbur37" <wylbur37nospam@yahoo.com> writes:
>
>> Once in a while, there'll be a friendly neighbor who has broadband
>> internet access with a WiFi router, and has welcomed you to use the
>> channel free of charge.
>>
>> Is this a good idea privacy-wise?
>
>Perhaps not.
>
>> Is it possible, for example, for someone with a wireless router to
>> monitor your internet activity while you're using that router?
>
>Absolutely. They'll have the ability to see every DNS request you
>make which will tell them more than they want to know about you if you
>have habits that are questionable.
>
>But... how will they know it's you and not some other neighbor is the
>question.

Yes, included in those packets is MAC address info, doesn't take long to
figure out who is who in a neighborhood like that, is Joe at work and the
house empty, then MAC 123456 must be Bob since he appears to be home.

>
>> Also, can they snoop around on your hard-drive?
>
>Potentially depending on your level of host based security and
>fastidiousness with patching. You are giving them a free shot at
>you on the shared network.
>
>However, the statistical likelihood of someone intentionaly running a
>honeypot accesspoint and wanting people to join to get hacked is
>pretty slim vs a clueless average user who doesn't know how to change
>the default settings of their router. At least in my neighborhood's
>age/profession demographic.

True in most neighborhoods I suspect. Not hard after all to physically find
the AP if you are 'hacked' and skin the neighbor alive <grin>

>
>Best Regards,

fundamentalism, fundamentally wrong.

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