Stealing wireless internet so bad?

Question

If someone doesn't put a password on their wireless internet and you use it without permission, why is that so bad?
Isn't it their fault? Shouldn't they be to blame, because they didn't put a password on it?
If someone is incapable of protecting their computer, they shouldn't really have one, in my opinion.

What do you think?

I see what you are all saying about the house thing, I neved thought about it like that.

My mother pays for my internet, as I'm still a minor. But sometimes my laptop links up to next door's internet, and I put a password on that for them [they asked me 2] and they took it off again =S

** never thought of it like that.

Answer 1

Look It's thier fault their Wireless is unlocked. If you just use it to connect, Oh well that's their fault.
HOWEVER, if you are using it to snoop around thier network trying to open, copy, read, write, delete, or change anything in thier computers then that's cracking and it's not legal.
Notice I said Cracking and not Hacking as there is a difference.
Hacking is to undertsnd and investigate how things work, maybe to fix things in a way they work better.
Cracking is when you do it with malicious intentions as to steal or damage someone else's System or contents of their system.

So, as long as you're only using it connect to the Internet without doing any snooping around thier system, it's not your fault they left it open access.

What you should do is find info for them on how to protect thier network and let them know that if you can access it, and get free internet from them, who knows who else can access it too besides you. Others might not let them know They might not so have so good intentions. They'll appriciate it more.

Answer 2

Two things to think about, you seem sensible. There was a case taken to court in the early days of wireless of a person parking outside someone's house on a regular basis and sending illegal (obscene and scam) bulk emails. The defence was that if people left the network open they were willing to accept it's shared use. Due to the problem of tracing where any profits from the scam ended up he walked, even though he was known to deal in the worst kind of child porn. This was 1 case which lead to the law changing to make such use illegal. The other problem is that many people have to go for limited download service due to cost, I think the charges for every broadband service are higher than need be. Anyone using their service is stealing that time, which can result in loss of service or additional charges. The problem would not arise if people just used a sensible approach to use of other's equipment, but even then if ten people (most wireless systems support up to 30) all did the same, you could wipe their month's alloted limit out in a few days.

Answer 3

Well you are using something another person is paying for and without their permission, so technically that is stealing.

If you don't try and hack into their computer through their unsecured network, I can't see any real harm being done, unless you using their connection seriously slows it down.

Also many, many people have no idea about security when it comes to their PC. I have helped lots of people set up a firewall because they just didn't know what one was.

I've also met people who thought their computer could get a virus even though it wasn't actually connected to the internet at all. Some folks just aren't technically minded.

Therefore I don't think it's fair to be too judgemental with people who aren't all that good with internet security.

Answer 4

What if by using this mysterious internet without a password allows some creepy guy in a dark room down the road to track what your doing and record all the details you input into internet forms like credit card details, phone numbers and so on?

Answer 5

i have to agree with you to a extent,if someone is stupid enough to have a wireless internet connection then they deserve to get their bandwidth stolen
however if you left your front door open it dosent give a passer by the right to go inside and steal your computer
i do agree with your comment that anyone who is incapable of protecting their computer shouldnt have one,and the same type of person has probally got no anti-virus,firewall ect and these types of users make the internet a more unsafe network
what annoys me is its a 2 minute job to secure your wireless connection,im sure people can find 2 minutes in the day to secure their wireless connection
or do what i do,i have a bt home hub and i dont have any wireless connections so i have disabled the wireless connection and just use wired ethernet connections,this way i know i cant be hacked
good question
good luck

Answer 6

I kinda agree with you, it is the owner of the wireless networks responsibility to safeguard their network, however it is still a bit wrong to use it. I have a password-ed wireless network in my house but my neighbours signal comes into the house too and that doesn't have a password, sometimes find I'm using theirs by mistake. I wouldn't do it intentionally though, mainly because I would be worried they would find out and come and shout at me!

Answer 7

The regulation does not differentiate between theft in a locked development or an unlocked one. merely because of the fact your neighbor is dumb adequate to pass away his door unlocked does not supply you the properly suited to pass in and ransack his CD sequence. the placement is precisely a similar with an open community: the actuality they did no longer impose a password does not enable you to thieve his service. I see maximum of those above declare the approach is criminal. i might recommend none of them extremely understand any regulation, and that i might guess maximum additionally think of it is o.k. to get carry of songs without paying. the factors of morality interior the digital age have fallen dramatically. to those human beings, i will pose a question: permit's say you by using a DSL connection, and fail to safeguard it. I log onto your community and get carry of great unlawful action picture records. So heavy is my site visitors that your own use of the relationship is impaired, and in actuality is close down by using the service for overuse. what's your recourse? Will you fee me? How, in case you declare it is not unlawful? some days later, the FBI shows up at your place, seizes all your desktops and community kit, on seek warrants on the topic count of the unlawful downloads. useful, ultimately you may desire to convince them it wasn't any of your desktops that downloaded, while they have dissected the comps for some months. nonetheless think of it is o.k. to share the airwaves for loose?

Answer 8

It's a shame you have that point of view. You're probably the sort of person who finds a purse or wallet and then justifies keeping it with the argument, 'well they shouldn't have been so careless in the first place'. Stealing is stealing, we are all a little green in certain aspects of life. I would never take advantage of a person's ignorance because that is immoral.

Answer 9

In my opinion, you are not paying for their wireless internet I presume so you shouldnt just be freeloading off his bandwidth. If he doesnt put a WPA or WEP key on it then its his own fault, but that doesnt give you a good reason just to connect everytime you want.

Answer 10

So what you are saying if someone choses to keep their door unlocked you blame them for you being able to just walk in and take their stereo. They should have locked their door.