Its a difficult quandry. I think New Hampshire might have the beginnings of a good idea whereby that law says that unauthorized access is illegal and, at the same time, its your responsibility to secure your stuff.
On Tue, Jan 13, 2004 at 08:48:25AM -0600, Sheets, Jake wrote: > Yet, the argument can be presented that taking something that is being > offered for free is not stealing..... > > It is like putting your lawnmower out in your front yard with a sign on > it stating "Free use of this mower to anyone in my neighborhood." Not > many people would do that, (they keep their lawnmower locked, securely, > in their garage or shed) but that is what they are doing by not securing > their WLAN. > > Just trying to be the devils advocate. > > Jake Sheets > IT\GIS Engineer > Sioux City Community Schools > (712) 277-6103 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Ryan Patterson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 8:36 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [sclug-generallist] Hi List!!!!!! from Minneapolis > > While there don't appear to be any ratified laws to date regarding > "warxing" (including chalking, driving, etc. etc.) and its pure > legality, it appears as though the FBI has stated that it may be a > federal crime due to theft of services. > > http://www.politechbot.com/p-03884.html > > Now, without a PGP signature, you can only really take that at face > value. Keep in mind as well that this hasn't been challenged in the > courts either from what I've seen. > > Ethically, I feel that getting an IP address from a random wireless > connection while warxing is less than sound and does indeed include a > theft of services. You are, after all, using _my_ dhcp server to get > those packets. Being neither a laywer nor desiring to be, that's my > interpretation. > > I did mis-state that it was illegal in certain states as I was under the > impression that some of the states had actually managed to pass law > indicating such. My apologies. > > It also appears that New Hampshire has a law going on the books this > month that might actually set a precedence for further laws. > > http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2003/HB0495.html > > All in all, be wary. Nobody likes to have things stolen. > > -Ryan > > On Mon, Jan 12, 2004 at 07:19:36PM -0600, Ryan wrote: > > >And we are a bit curious as to what went on at the meeting? > > > > We watched this movie about a girl that spins around in a chair for > several > > minutes. And something about a tow truck driver. Actually the > documentary > > was "New York City Hackers", a Norwegian documentary about the New > York > > City hacker scene. It's freely (re)distributable; you can download it > off > > the net if you wish to watch it. But it wasn't that great. > > > > Also Brion showed us how to rip cds, burn cds, etcetera. > > > > And some of us engaged in an enthusiastic discussion of whether it was > > > legal or not to boot up your computer in your own neighborhood (or > > anywhere) and have it grab an IP from some unknown network. (I agree > with > > Mark, I have a hard time believing this could be illegal. There are > public > > 'hot spots' all over the country, how am I supposed to know that an AP > is > > not open if it hands me an IP + internet access?) > > > > And a good time was had by all. > > > > -Ryan
