Re: [PLUG] Wireless access - from a security expert

On Dec 4, 2007 10:55 PM, Brian Vagnoni <bvagnoni@v-system.net> wrote:

I respectfully disagree. Your home is your castle, your place of peace and rest. It is also a place of privacy unless you live in a commune. Opening up your wireless network exposes your computer to unnecessary risk, and privacy invasion. With that philosophy why don't you just run a wired connection out your front door and leave it on the curb for passers by with a sign stating to please use my network. As I mentioned in private to other people on this list that there are certain intangibles that you need to take into consideration before doing this.

It's fine and dandy if you live by yourself and don't keep person information on your computer or network attached devices. If you have family members, a wife, children; it's just irresponsible. Other children are a lot more likely to do something that could offend and hurt your loved ones; why give these people a chance.

I've had strangers take an inappropriate interest in my personal life. You are never the same afterward; your sense of trust destroyed, feelings of violation. and your trust in people hard taken back. I keep a great deal of person information on my networks and would never just offer it up. It's one thing if you are a strong person yourself but if you have a family they need to be protected at all costs. Securing your networks is a small price to pay for your families privacy, security and sense of trust.

Nuff said.

Though I respect Bruce, I'm sure he doesn't keep person info on his system knowing how easy it is to steal. Like the wild west he has a target on him, every hacker out there wants to say, yes I broke into Bruce's computer and got his information.

Brian
From: Eric [mailto:eric@lucii.org ]
To: Philadelphia Linux User's Group Discussion List [mailto:plug@lists.phillylinux.org]
Sent: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 22:35:11 -0500
Subject: [PLUG] Wireless access - from a security expert

This parallels an older discussion here on the PLUG list:

I just read this in the Freakenomics blog:

Q: Is there any benefit to password protecting your home Wifi network? I have IT
friends that say the only real benefit is that multiple users can slow down the
connection, but they state that there is no security reason. Is this correct?

A: I run an open wireless network at home. There's no password, and there's no
encryption. Honestly, I think it's just polite. Why should I care if someone on
the block steals wireless access from me? When my wireless router broke last
month, I used a neighbor's access until I replaced it.

Of course it's interesting because the answer is from Bruce Schneier.
The entire discussion is here:
http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/04/bruce-schneier-blazes-through-your-questions/

It's an interesting read.

Eric
--
# Eric Lucas
#
# "Oh, I have slipped the surly bond of earth
# And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings...
# -- John Gillespie Magee Jr
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___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug