unsecured wireless network

st999

OK, I keep hearing that my wireless network should be secure and password protected to stop hackers accessing my computer. So how would someone access my computer if my wireless network was unprotected?

The reason I ask is that a neighbour of mine has an unsecured wireless network that I can use to access the internet but I cannot access his computer, nor even see it in any network window.

So is it just a scare story that someone can get to your computer over an unsecured wireless network?

Stan

Meepster

No, it's not a scare story. They can get into your computer (if it is switched on whilst they are "hacked" in) they just need the software to do it. (which you can download for free btw)

They can also (if they know what they are doing) view the webpages you are viewing, copy identity information and well, if they felt like it, could get you into a whole lot of trouble with the police (downloading illegal files, photos, videos etc)

It's not scaremongery, it's the honest truth...

If it's online, it can always be hacked, (something NASA and the Pentagon have recently found out) but by adding security, you make it harder for them.

mr_fishbulb

Number of attacks you could do. Off the top of my head:
* exploit a vulnerability on one of the open ports/services to compromise the machine,
* man-in-the-middle attack to read/alter unencrypted information they are sending to the internet

st999

My network is secured, it is my neighbour's that isn't but all I can do is get on the internet through it I cannot see his computer.

Stan

espresso

st999 wrote: »

My network is secured, it is my neighbour's that isn't but all I can do is get on the internet through it I cannot see his computer.

Stan

But you are not Stan the hacker are you!

mr_fishbulb

st999 wrote: »

all I can do is get on the internet through it I cannot see his computer

That's because you aren't l33t!

kwikbreaks

Probably the biggest risk is getting busted because a !!!!!!!!!! is using the connection for hacking or visiting kiddy fiddler sites - you don't need to be l33t to do those things through an unsecured WiFi connection.

Just getting hit for some excess use charge because they had torrents running day and night would be a PITA.

[Deleted User]

mr_fishbulb wrote: »

* man-in-the-middle attack to read/alter unencrypted information they are sending to the internet

Not to mention also the ability to decrypt encrypted data packets with a little more complexity and enough telemetry. An unsecured network is an extremely dangerous medium to communicate with, and the OP should really be talking to his neighbour about what he should be doing to protect himself and his family.

gbellamy

There are freely available tools to cause sufficient grief just by being able to gain access to the network. You don't need to be able to connect to any machine that is sitting on the network to steal data.

I agree with anewhope, you should tell your neighbour to get it locked down ASAP.

Another good advertisement for homeplugs in my opinion

fuzzball172

There are a number of problems with this scenario, firstly The Communications Act 2003 says a "person who (a) dishonestly obtains an electronic communications service, and (b) does so with intent to avoid payment of a charge applicable to the provision of that service, is guilty of an offence". So by 'borrowing' your neighbours internet you are breaking the law. Police have successfully prosecuted a number of cases now so be careful. problem 2, the Computer Misuse Act, by gaining access to a network without the owners permission you could be prosecuted as a hacker. Problem 3, PCs on unsecured wifi networks are hackable and surprisingly quick when attacking windows XP machines. This leads to another problem, once a PC has been hacked, and is 'owned' by the hacker, he/she can connect again to the compromised PC from anywhere in the world via the net. Any other PCs on the same network are now vulnerable to attack, that includes your PC benefiting from a little free internet. Chances are you won't even know you have been hacked.
The best solution is to do the neighbourly thing and tell them that they should secure their wifi.

Lee

Pauls

When you do turn your encryption on, make sure you use a password that's not easy to guess. I once got onto a neighbours connection at the first attempt by simply taking a guess at his password.

I'm not a hacker, I just work in IT and couldn't resist (btw, I did set it up for him in the first place and had him enter his own encryption key)