Security concerns stealing internet from others in apartment

vikefan24 · #1 08-02-2007, 11:11 PM

Just moved into a new apartment, there is an unsecured network that I am currently connected to. Before connecting it gives the standard warning that connecting to an unsecured network could make stuff I do visible to others.. Do I have anything to be worried about? Should I just disconnect and wait until I get my own network set up?

nuclear500 · #2 08-02-2007, 11:22 PM

If its unsecured to begin with, either its a honeypot WAP or the folks who put it in place are as clueless as the rest of the 100% of people who have visibile unsecured access points.

Meaning, you have very little to worry about. Yes, routers do have a log that you connected and some will keep activity logs but again, since its unsecured, its unlikely they would even know to monitor that stuff.

funkyworms · #3 08-02-2007, 11:49 PM

Keep in mind that connecting to a network without permission is illegal in some places. Though the chance of you getting caught are about as high as the chance that you're connecting to a honeypot (i.e. not very).

vikefan24 · #4 08-03-2007, 12:08 AM

Alright thanks.. Is a "honeypot" a network someone sets up unsecured to bait people to steal so they can access their information?

funkyworms · #5 08-03-2007, 12:33 AM

Yeah that's one definition for it.

It's usually used to describe a network set up by a network admin at a corporation or government agency to bait hackers.

psionic storm · #6 08-03-2007, 12:34 AM

people who dont bother securing their wireless usually dont bother changing the default password too. users in radius can tamper with nameservers etc.

nuclear500 · #7 08-03-2007, 09:01 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Alright thanks.. Is a "honeypot" a network someone sets up unsecured to bait people to steal so they can access their information?

[/ QUOTE ]

As the other poster stated, yes, basically.

It is done for two reasons usually:

1) Study the methods hackers and crackers utilize on a given network/operating system in order to better understand how to plug the leaks in the network/OS.

2) Divert a true malicious hackers attention. Why go after system A thats locked down when system B appears to be recklessly left open and free for access?