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Possession of Cantenna Now Illegal?

Posted by timothy on from the you-must-must-must-be-joking dept.

Mad-Mage1 writes "The recent arrests in Florida and the UK of men who were accessing unsecured wireless hotspots has created a flood of articles that contain panic inducing rhetoric. "A small subset of computer-savvy hackers has the know-how and gadgets for more nefarious activities," claims the Sacramento Bee (via Techdirt). "They're (Pringles cans fashioned into antennas) unsophisticated but reliable, and it's illegal to possess them," quips Sacramento County Sheriff's Lt. Bob Lozito of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force." I hope they tell Fry's about all the illegal antennas they're stocking, too.

3 of 502 comments (clear)

  1. How about parts? by fembots · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What if the Pringles Antenna is not assembled, but all the necessary parts are in your possession?

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    Rock that crushes, Paper & Scissors that don't matter.
  2. Well just called LT. Bob... by kinkadius · · Score: 4, Interesting

    saw the number up there, so i called. apparently his time has been taken up all day today repsonding to nerds like me, but he was able to clarify on the comment he made about cantennas being illegal to paraphrase, he stated that while he knows that cantennas are NOT illegal he said that tools that burglars use ARE illegal and are illegal to possess, and this should apply to the tools used to break into networks as well. He seemed really irritated about this whole fiasco talking to him, and apparently has had a lot of calls and emails about his quote. poor guy.

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    www.omglolh4x.com
  3. National TURN IN YOUR: Pringles cans? by infonography · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If we as a tech geek worldwide nation were to send Sacramento County Sheriff's by mail our used empty and UNCONTAMINATED cans to 'Prevent them from being used for' "illegal purposes" it may just get some notice and hoist the fools on their own petards.

    Sacramento County Sheriff Department
    3341 Power Inn Rd Ste 313
    Sacramento, CA 95826-3835

    mail them empty and uncapped, just slap the mailing label on it and seal the end with clear tape. we don't want them treated as possible 'other things' it matters not if the get there crushed. We can keep screaming at them that they are fools, but unless the world notices the won't either.

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    Sorry about the writing. Robot fingers, you know? Cliff Steele in DOOM PATROL #23