Survey: 32 pct Admit To Using a Neighbor's Unencrypted WiFi

[engine]

Survey: 32 pct Admit To Using a Neighbor's Unencrypted WiFi [abcnews.go.com]

It's the digital equivalent of mooching a cup of sugar, only without asking. Some 32% of respondents to a recent national survey admitted borrowing a neighbor's unencrypted Wi-Fi connection. That's nearly double the 18% who said they borrowed Wi-Fi in a 2008 poll.

"The reality is that many consumers have not taken the steps to protect themselves," said Kelly Davis-Felner, marketing director at the Wi-Fi Alliance, a non-profit trade group that commissioned the surveys.

[swa66]

Hmm, that means at least 32% having a neighbor without encryption on their wifi ... that's a lot nowaday (at least where I live you'll have trouble finding one)!

[engine]

I always take surveys like this with a pinch of salt.

There's sure been an uptick in WiFi routers in recent years, so that's probably contributed to the increase. In a town or city, I'd expect to see a lot more WiFi, so if you're in an apartment block in New York, I would have thought you'd see quite a few WiFi's listed.

I see several here where I live, and only one is unecrypted. I told the guy about it and so far he's done nothing to change the status in two years. I'd also guess he's the sort that has no antivirus tool, too.

[Matthew1980]

Well, I have no need to worry, living in the country, I only have my wifi connection to worry about, and I hide the ssid when I set it up when I moved here, there again, the other people in the street seem quite savvy, so they might have done the same thing.

BUT when I stay at friends houses, over 50% of the listed connections are usable, but they don't seem to care.

WRT antivirus, not many people actually buy into that, I certainly won't part with > £30 to make me safer, I just keep away from dodgy websites, and make sure that I only use FF when browsing. I digress.

Cheers,
MRb

[engine]

BUT when I stay at friends houses, over 50% of the listed connections are usable, but they don't seem to care.

I found four unprotected and potentially usable ones over the weekend while staying away from home, and these were not public (coffee shop) systems. I'm certain that the average person doesn't have a clue until it goes wrong.

WRT antivirus, not many people actually buy into that, I certainly won't part with > £30 to make me safer, I just keep away from dodgy websites, and make sure that I only use FF when browsing.

I hope that works for you. It's a risk because many come in from other sources, too: email, usb memory sticks, and even on what initially appears to be good software.

[piatkow]

I just keep away from dodgy websites

Before now I have clicked on what looked like a totally Kosher site in Google only to be redirected to a more dubious neighbourhood.

[StoutFiles]

I just change their router name to "Lock Your Router". They always do after that.

[swa66]

I've used a high gain directional antenna a few years ago (it's hard to find computers/cards that still have an antenna connector) and even back then where I live there was nothing that didn't at least have WEP on it. Now WEP is not much good as it's relatively easy to break, but when looking at my neighbors now all those I can see with my mac use at least WPA (not WPA2 so they're still somewhat weakly protected).

I just keep away from dodgy websites

It's not like some of those that play the "blame the user" -customer in their case- don't get hit by defacements and become dodgy overnight themselves.

e.g.: [zone-h.org...]
For those not familiar with mirrors: these places take copies of hacked sites. In this case a hacker banner placed on a microsoft site.

And no it's not the only one exmaple:
[zone-h.org...] is a bit of an overview of Microsoft owned websites that got caught with their pants down while being defaced.

And if you think it's only the different country domains that get hit, take a second look. E.g.:
[zone-h.org...]
is www.microsoft.com itself

Really there are dozens of ways to get hit aside of this that you as a user cannot do enough caution and will need help.

[star]

HA! For the longest time I thought linksys was government funded internet wifi cause I could always find it pretty much anywhere I went. Not until I was looking for a moderately priced router for my Dad, did the penny drop and realize I had been using other people's broadband.

[wyweb]

"Lock Your Router". They always do after that.

No doubt StoutFiles. I would too after that.

I lived in an apartment once that had 4 or 5 accesible wifi points. I could jump on theirs in a minute if I wanted to. I'm not talking about Starbucks either, or the public library. I'm talking about noobs who didn't undertand the value of password protection.

You live and learn, eh?

[graeme_p]

@star, I think a lot of people do stuff like that. The average user probably does not even notice the name of the network they connect.

Some people leave networks open on purpose.

Using SSL is better protection than WEP, because it works even if you are using someone elses network, and it protects your from any other MITM.

[rocknbil]

People that I know who use roaming WiFi don't even know they are "borrowing." They open up their laptops and hit "browse the internet" and if it connects, they figure it's like their cell phone, they have "four bars." :-) When I tell them I wonder if the owner of that connection minds, and their brow furrows a bit as if I'm trying to say they are stealing. LOL

[engine]

I wonder if they recognise that the WiFi they are connected to could just as easily be sniffing their userrname and passwords!

[graeme_p]

@roknbil, is it "stealing" is its left completely open? It is like the difference between walking through an open gate and climbing a closed one.

[rocknbil]

I didn't say stealing. I said they looked at me like I was trying to accuse them of it. :-)

I guess to answer the question, consider sampling the grapes and apples from the vegetable section in the store as you shop. For me, I'd feel like it was stealing if I took something that I knew cost money to produce.