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Gordon's Republic

Wi-fi arrest

Comments:10 Add your comment

A second person has been arrested for using someone else's wireless internet connection.

I must have missed this story when it happened first time, as when I read the news this morning that the man was arrested in Chiswick by two officers while sitting on a wall outside a house, I was shocked. This crime is so wide spread that arrests have been (as was the case in this latest incident) almost by accident.

That said, it is being taken very seriously. The 39-year old man arrested in connection with using a wi-fi broadband connection without permission faces a fine and a possible six month prison sentence.

If this behaviour were more widely policed it could run to epidemic levels. I mean who has not used someone else's wireless connection?

I have my own wireless network at home and at times it is unsecured (something to do with the fact that when I turn my PS2 on it fails to connect unless the firewall is off -- a problem with the bridge/router interface -- but really that's far too geeky and really I only write this to illustrate that I have slightly more than a clue as to how it all works, but most people don't, which results in wireless networks being unsecured and open to piggy backing).

Prior to this man being arrested another man was arrested in 2005. Gregory Straszkiewicz had been seen sitting in his car using his laptop outside the house with an unsecured wireless network wi-fi subscriber in West London. He was found guilty of "dishonestly obtaining an electronic communication service and his computer and wireless card were confiscated, he was fined £500 and given a 12-month conditional discharge".

Detective Con Mark Roberts said: "This arrest should act as a warning to anyone who thinks it is acceptable to illegally use other people's broadband connections."

I understand how it is an "offence" (under the Communications Act 2003 and a potential breach of the Computer Misuse Act) and maybe it is a case of people being better educated about securing their networks, but if people don't then it seems such a small misdemeanour. I have in the past allowed other PC users to access my network, I don't have a huge problem with it and certainly wouldn't call the police or like to see anyone arrested/fined/imprisoned for it.

Maybe it only underlines the case for establishing free metropolitan wide wi-fi networks and access for all.

Published Aug 23 2007, 10:41 AM by Gordon Macmillan

Filed under: Internet

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Comments

by S J Rutledge

August 23, 2007 2:19 PM

Whatever next ! they'll be arresting commuters who read your Evening standard over your shoulder THATCHERS BLADDY BWITAIN hey !

by barry christie

August 23, 2007 2:49 PM

Surely it cant be dishonest use of a wifi network if the network hasnt been locked down by the network owner? I know this is theoretically a complex legal issue but....

by Gordon Macmillan

August 23, 2007 2:57 PM

I guess it only becomes an issue if you are downloading vast quantities of data. For someone passing by and using your "open" connection to access email is not going to have much of a strain, but if it happens to be a neighbour who is constantly taking advantage then maybe that is different. Howeer, as it is difficult to guard against broadband users need to take the intiative and protect their own networks.

by Duncan James

August 23, 2007 3:26 PM

Unfortunately, 'if it aint nailed down' in London ....... Bit harsh, £500, though.

by Nico Macdonald

August 23, 2007 9:49 PM

This is one of the most ridiculous prosecutions I have come across. My WiFi network is unsecured _because I want people to be able to use it_. I appreciate being able to use other unsecured networks when my 3G modem fails or the commercial WiFi networks are just too hard to access (see my article in The Register on this theme) and I want other people to benefit likewise with my network. Apart from being a victimless crime, since when was it the modus operandi of the police to proactively arrest thieves? Usually, if a theft takes place and no one reports it it will go uninvestigated and no one will be prosecuted. (The police force is barely interested in the theft of much more valuable things such as mobile phones and laptop computers.) Why isn't the same approach taken in these cases?

by Gordon Macmillan

August 24, 2007 8:51 AM

To be fair they were community support officers...

by Adam Powell

August 24, 2007 10:10 AM

so that's there quote sorted for the next six years

by Michael Trenerry

August 24, 2007 12:27 PM

We should start a revolution & get every man and his laptop to local parks globally at one time... Then let's see what the police can say... Don't the police have better things to do with their time???

by Jeremy Jarrett

August 28, 2007 4:44 PM

This isn't about sharing a WIFI network it’s about data security and identity theft and data file sharing. There was a guy prosecuted sometime ago and added to the sex offenders register because his ISP had reported him to the police for downloading offensive material (not just the usual porn) and it totally wrecked his life. Well as it turned out it was some perv sat outside his house downloading the stuff using his WIFI network and the police only realised this when they started to monitor his network after the guy was imprisoned even though there was no trace of anything incriminating on his PC. The ISP once again reported the same problem to the police at a later date and another investigation started which cleared the guy of any wrong doing. The only problem was this information was only released after he had been dragged through the papers and called a nonce, lost his wife and done time. So you think your network is safe in the hands of your neighbour or someone sat outside? Not only can they use your network to download illicit material but they can also gain access to personal information quicker than you think to steel your identity. As your ISP contract will state the network belongs to you, you are responsible for the information that passes through it... If I were you, I'd lock your WIFI networks down damn tight or face the possible consequences of data theft or worse. This was also highlighted on a recent documentry on TV a couple of months ago.

by Alex Donohue

August 29, 2007 2:27 PM

The data protection aspect of wi-fi connections obviously creates a substantial problem for the safety of anyone's computer and personal details. Even if there were a consensus that unsecure wi-fi usage was perfectly legitimate, the system would still be abused in the ways described above. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes globally, and it's largely because technology allows it to happen. There's also a lot of ignorance about protecting your personal details online. Posting your birthday on your Facebook profile, for example, is a classic one. On a more prosaic level, there is still a theft taking place. If someone has paid for a wi-fi connection and it's being used without their consent, then both the ISP and account holder have a right to report it as a crime. Just because there isn't a tangible thing being taken (in this case, time), doesn't make it legitimate in any way.

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