Passwords, logins, bank details, credit card numbers, emails, the lot.
A quick scan of neighbours wi fi's shows four that are receivable - 2 secure and 2 not secure.
I wonder if a neighbour uses my net access to access dodgy websites would I be responsible?
...I wonder if a neighbour uses my net access to access dodgy websites would I be responsible?
In theory someone could access your PC everything on it, and everything you do from it with a key logger. Online banking etc. All your passwords.
Most likely you'll get a bill for a few thousand euro because you've exceed your download cap. Because of everyone downloading movies etc through it.
That can happen anyway - whether or not his wireless network is secured.
In fairness that is not the most likely result. It's a possible one, but the most likely result is that nothing happens. I know of many unsecured or very poorly secured wireless networks and nothing adverse has happened.
The Nintendo DS is compatible with WEP encryption. Nintendo DSi, released in Japan on November 1, 2008, and in the USA on April 5, 2009, is compatible with both WPA and WEP encryptions
If you leave your router unsecured you don't know who is accessing your router or what they are doing using your connection. There could be someone in a car outside accessing illegal websites and downloading illegal content using your unsecured connection. And what are you going to say when the Gardaí arrive at your door with a search warrant? They will tear your house apart and take away all your computers. It is your connection and you are responsible for what it is used for. It would be very embarrassing for you when the neighbours see the Gardaí taking all your computers away for testing.In fairness that is not the most likely result. It's a possible one, but the most likely result is that nothing happens. I know of many unsecured or very poorly secured wireless networks and nothing adverse has happened.
Thats like saying you can still have an accident in a car without ABS. Which maybe true but it doesn't negate the usefulness of ABS. Ditto it doesn't negate the usefulness of a secured WiFi access.
If you leave your router unsecured you don't know who is accessing your router or what they are doing using your connection. There could be someone in a car outside accessing illegal websites and downloading illegal content using your unsecured connection. And what are you going to say when the Gardaí arrive at your door with a search warrant? They will tear your house apart and take away all your computers. It is your connection and you are responsible for what it is used for. It would be very embarrassing for you when the neighbours see the Gardaí taking all your computers away for testing.
I'm not being dismissive of the risks, I'm trying to put some balance on the discussion. Implying that these things will definitely happen is not painting the full picture of the risks or the steps to take to avoid them. Leading people to believe that having a secure wifi connection is somehow going to protect them from keyloggers or people using your broadband is irresponsible as is may mean they don't take the steps they should take to protect themselves. Secure wifi may reduce the likelihood of these things being done by the uninformed, but someone who wants to do the things you mention will in no way be prevented from it by a 'secure' wifi connection.
You could check out MAC-based security as an alternative to WPA.
I wonder what the OP is making of all of this ?
From my own point of view - the OP has stated he can see 4 of his neighbours WLAN routers - this to me would imply that he/she lives in a built up area - the risks are obviously a bit higher here than in the middle of the country side.
I have to agree with AlbacoreA - noone has stated that all of the risks will happen - we are merely highlighting them to allow the op to make up his own mind.
To start off here is my list of risks in order of ascending criticality to having an unsecured wlan :
1. Someone else uses my broadband
2. Intruder from 1 breaches my download limit
3. Intruder captures some of my login details for webmail and the like and posts/emails inappropriate content under my identity.
4. Intruder virus infects my computer equipment causing damage to systems
5. Intruder invades my privacy and publishes my private information onto internet/public domain.
6. Intruder retrieves some of my PI details and effects some type of fraud (financial or otherwise) using my identity.
7. Intruder effects some other type of crime (copyright theft etc).
8. Intruder uses me as a patsy for downloading inappropriate illegal images .. (cp)
9. While doing all of the above intruder has assumed control of my pc without my knowledge leaving most of the traces of the intrusion on my pc not on his own.
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