[Ham-80211] Re: ham-80211 Digest, Vol 3, Issue 2

[Jeff King]

How about this analogy:

1. SSID is being broadcast.->  "Hey, come look at my car"
2. WEP is off. ->"The driver has the window rolled down"
3. DHCP enabled -> "You ask the driver for a lift through the open window, 
and he says yes" 

Then and only then, do you enter the vehicle and use the resources offered.

In each of the above cases, the user has the choice of allowing or 
disallowing each of the above conditions. And oh, don't give me the pabulum 
about the "defaults" in most AP's. Personal responsibility has to mean 
something, otherwise, why don't we throw Bill Gates in jail for shipping a 
product (Windows XP) that offers to connect to unknown networks?

This case:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/02/24/ethical_wireless_hacker_is_innocent/
shows two things:

1. That the jury system still works for now.
2. That the government, at least in Texas USA, is vindictive as Puffer should 
never have been charged. He embarrassed them.

That much being said, I'm well aware of the current sad state of affairs that 
has progressively gotten worse in the U.S. over my lifetime. "If your not a 
criminal, you shouldn't have anything to hide...right?" seems to be the 
mindset of the masses, with regards to all these invasions of privacy that 
are occurring.  But I digress....

Bottom line, in the U.S., prepare to have your door kicked in, and then spend 
the money to prove you are innocent.

-Jeff wb8wka