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WarTalking Arrest

Posted by Hemos on from the get-yer-cuffs-on dept.

PhotonSphere writes "Having helped organize HoustonWireless.org, this really caught my attention! A Houston computer security analyst has been charged with 'hacking' after demonstrating the insecurity of a court's wireless LAN! This happened Wednesday and is only now getting the attention of the wireless community. The Register has the full story."

5 of 390 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Deserved it. by Khazunga · · Score: 5, Funny
    It just depends on *how* insecure it really was. If it was really bad, driving around with a wireless-enabled laptop running XP could result in a five-year jail sentence. With XP's automatic wireless lan setup and all.

    His biggest error probably was talking about it. He should have sold the info to some mobster gang. They'd probably be much more gratefull.

    --
    If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you
  2. Balmer Steals Access and Brags About It by lincomatic · · Score: 5, Funny

    The network was totally wide open - no WEP and DHCP on ... anyone w/ an XP computer and built-in WiFi who turned their computer on would have automatically associated to the network, so what is Puffer's "crime?" He was demoing to a county official, don't forget. Meanwhile, Steve Balmer brags about stealing bandwidth with Bill Gates and gets applauded:

    http://www.infoworld.com/articles/op/xml/02/07/2 2/ 020722opcurve.xml

    "For all his success at bringing Microsoft's warring constituencies together, there are still things beyond Bill and Steve's control. "I was in a hotel in Sun Valley last week that was not wired," Ballmer recalls. "So I turned on my PC, and XP tells me there is a wireless network available. So I connect to something called Mountaineer.

    "Well, I don't know what that is. But I VPN into Microsoft. It worked! I don't know whose broadband I used," he chuckles. "I didn't see it in Bill's room. I called him up and said, 'Hey, come over to my room.' So soon everyone is there and connecting to the Internet through my room."

    Chalk up another good day for Steve Ballmer, CEO. Bill Gates may be the chief software architect, but as Microsoft matures in the Ballmer era innovation in software shares the spotlight with teamwork.
    "

  3. I'm interested. by DarkHelmet · · Score: 4, Funny
    Whatever hole he found, I'd be willing to buy it from him. There are a couple speeding tickets I need cleared.

    Damnit, my license is at stake here!

    --
    /^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
  4. Re:Deserved it. by flonker · · Score: 5, Funny

    In related news, a local terrorist was arrested today, after he pointed out to the bank that their safe had a huge gaping hole leading to a back alley. He is charged with causing $50,000 worth of damage, the cost of repairing the hole.

  5. Re:No need for free security consultants by startled · · Score: 5, Funny

    "No, you read the article. He first broke in on March 8th then arranged his big expose on the 18th. Ten days of silence."

    Ten days? Seems sinister. Could that possibly be roughly the amount of time it takes to get an appointment with the appropriate county employee?