Technology For the computer smart people out there...

[baylormed]

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So, I found this wireless internet signal at home. Since we have no internet at home, I've been using this signal to connect to the internet.

I don't have any personal info in my computer, aside from school papers. I erased the copy I had of one of my med school apps, which had some personal data on it. I've signed on to my school e-mail a couple of times...though I try to avoid it and mainly use the connection to check SDN and do non-important things such as waste time online.

I also updated my computer, hoping I could have the latest spyware and make it safer.

How safe/unsafe is it to use this unknown signal, though??

 

[szhao]

its fine, even if u use passwords on it it is unlikely anything would happen, as most sites are RSA secured through SSL. but u know this is not very legal right haha.

 

[DrBowtie]

So, I found this wireless internet signal at home. Since we have no internet at home, I've been using this signal to connect to the internet.

I don't have any personal info in my computer, aside from school papers. I erased the copy I had of one of my med school apps, which had some personal data on it. I've signed on to my school e-mail a couple of times...though I try to avoid it and mainly use the connection to check SDN and do non-important things such as waste time online.

I also updated my computer, hoping I could have the latest spyware and make it safer.

How safe/unsafe is it to use this unknown signal, though??

Make sure you have a firewall on and you should be good.

 

[baylormed]

its fine, even if u use passwords on it it is unlikely anything would happen, as most sites are RSA secured through SSL. but u know this is not very legal right haha.

No, I didn't. That scares me....

 

[carn311]

So, I found this wireless internet signal at home. Since we have no internet at home, I've been using this signal to connect to the internet.

I don't have any personal info in my computer, aside from school papers. I erased the copy I had of one of my med school apps, which had some personal data on it. I've signed on to my school e-mail a couple of times...though I try to avoid it and mainly use the connection to check SDN and do non-important things such as waste time online.

I also updated my computer, hoping I could have the latest spyware and make it safer.

How safe/unsafe is it to use this unknown signal, though??

The chances of the person with the router using it to hack are very low... Its probably just someone who doesnt know how to activate the encription properly and so would not have the capeablility to obtain your data. You should be ok.

 

[airshad8]

Haha you freeloader. Just don't start dling random stuff. If the person notices lag they might kick you off. (or secure their connection). Happy wifi-pirating!

 

[szhao]

lol firewall has really nothing to do with hacking hahaha, its kind of interesting on what people think. what fire wall does is it basically blocks in coming connections, or at least confuses it. a lot of hacks occurs through user operated hacks. for example, if i wanted ot hack some one i would make the user go through a set of procedure when stealing my internet, this would force an activex to be loaded and subsequent outbound connections. haha, baylor don't worry i am just saying

 

[baylormed]

Thanks for the replies, guys. 😍

 

[SamaraMorgan]

.

 

[szhao]

Who are you trying to impress? Force ActiveX, do you even know what you're talking about? Anyway, like others said the chances of your information being taken is low. It's likely someone who setup their router and didn't turn on security. All important transactions are secured already through the internet like when you check your bank account. Other stuff, like using AIM or browsing the internet, is cleartext so anyone could get it if they cared enough.

WARNING: You may be at risk! Please send me your IP address along with bank account information. I be royalty and will give to you the sum of 10% profitz.
Dr. Mohammed
321 Cash Lane
Nigeria

lol in fact i do, i am not trying to impress anyone. i am just saying that is how people usually do it these days. your transactions are not secured from the router, it is simply secured through the transaction (for plain transactions).

AIM is NOT clear text, ever heard of the oscar protocal? ever heard of hand shaking? you communicate accross public keys and secondary load balance servers. this is the same with SSL. this is why i said most of your transactions will be secured anyways.

your right you can't "force activex", but you can disguise it as if it was an essential plugin for your internet to work, the user most likely is stupid (yes anyone can believe they wont fall for it) and says okay fine i will do this. bam your in (this is not a standard trojan, so it cannot be detected).

i can get your ip address without anything, post on my mdapplicant or initiate a direct connect with you and netstat, or get it from a web log on (without even activex). so yes i know what i am talking about. i would appreciate it if you don't criticize me on thread.

people mistake giving clear examples as trying to brag. i am just trying to give a more realistic example than saying, a no hacking can occur

 

[braluk]

I forgot which show(s) it was, but it demonstrated how unsafe wireless internet really is- the hacker on the television show hijacked the wireless internet and basically saw what the user was doing online, where he was browsing, what information he had- in the end, the hacker (which I couldnt imagine to be too different than any other hacker who knows what he or she is doing), had information from the user about where he was traveling, when his plane left (i.e. an empty home for him to rob if he desired to do so), what credit cards he used- their numbers, expiration dates, its security numbers, as well as what gifts that he was purchasing online for his wife. So long story short- wireless internet, for alot of individuals, is pretty open for any individual with malcontent to hack into. Odds are, however, you're made safer by running firewalls, port blockers, etc. etc. A hard line of course is always safer by its sheer nature. Bottom line is, odds are no one is looking at your stuff even if they could.

 

[ReachingTruth]

haha, you'll be fine. What you are doing is termed piggybacking. Most people who set up wireless networks are told to put a password on it to prevent other people from piggybacking. As someone said above, just don't download big things and you should be fine. (it is illegal, but i've never ever heard of anyone dealing with any consequences).

 

[SamaraMorgan]

.

 

[DoctorPardi]

Baylor, I have done this sparingly when my internet is out, or for any other odd reason that I can't use my own.

Really the fact that someone has wifi that is unsecured should imply they aren't tech savvy enough to steal your info. It is slightly shady though, and maybe illegal, although I highly doubt you could get in trouble for it. Also, you have to take into account that at any moment you'll lose your internet because your host will secure his network.

All that being said, I think you got all the answers you needed so I am going to close this thread since it is pretty off-topic. 😍

 

[Sust]

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060622-7111.html

 

[Uncle_Tbag]

Just make sure you set you don't have your root drive, or any folder, set to "shared." Left click on C drive, go to properties, sharing, and make sure it's set to "do not share."

 

[Uncle_Tbag]

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060622-7111.html

You have more chance of winning the lottery than getting caught doing this at home. Is the neighbor is savvy enough to run a bandwidth monitor and notice something is going on, it's still nearly impossible to tell where the b-width thief is located.

Parking outside a coffee shop for months being Mr. Obvious is a different story.