warchalking

[katster]

greetings from downtown Oakland, specifically the corner of Webster and 10th in downtown Oakland.

warchalking is really a fun hobby. Now to really get chalk so I can mark it. :) As for wireless net, if you're dumb enough to leave it open, I am allowed to connect.

Comments

[bassbone.livejournal.com]

So if I am dumb enough to leave my door open, you're allowed to steal my stereo?

[fb.livejournal.com]

If you leave your door open, and then advertise all around your neighborhood that it's open, you really lose a lot of right to complain about losing your stereo.

It's an open broadcast, you can't really blame someone for just receiving it.

...this is assuming, kat, that you're not out there breaking somebody's encryption. ;)

[zibblsnrt.livejournal.com]

Well, it certainly waives your right to complain if it happens.

[katster.livejournal.com]

Not quite the right analogy, I think.

I have a scanning program, called NetStumbler. With this program, I get told whether or not a WAP (wireless access point) is using WEP (wireless encryption protocol). Now, WEP is not the best thing in the world (it's easily broken), but if I see that somebody is using WEP on their WAP, then I take it as a sign that I'm not allowed there and don't try to go there. It's like, if I'm hiking, and I see a "no tresspassing" sign, I don't go there.

Open ones, on the other hand, I consider fair game, because without WEP they're wide open. Like a couple other people have mentioned, it's dumb to leave your stereo in an unlocked place and then go out and scream to the world that your stereo is there. But there's also this. Here, bandwidth is pretty much all you can eat. If it was metered in some fashion, I'd be hesitant to connect, even for the little bandwidth I'm using. But since it isn't (most WAPs are connected to people's DSL and cable lines, I've found, while I've been doing this), I don't feel too guilty.

I mean, I don't try to download huge files or otherwise choke somebody's DSL or cable lines. There are still ethics to connecting to an open wireless point, and that's pretty much "use only the bandwidth you need, and don't download huge files or anything that will really choke the line" (and that pretty much includes anything bigger than an mp3, and I won't even go after mp3s).

Perhaps you'd not do the same, but see also koyote's response below. And it's an interesting hobby, seeing what's out there, and what you can see. :)

Just my thoughts,
-kat

WEP

[fb.livejournal.com]

You wrote that whole comment just for an excuse to say "WEP on their WAP," didn't you? ;)

The only thing WEP is really good for is keeping out people like you, who take it as a sort of 'do not disturb' sign and not a serious attempt to keep people out of your network. There are tools out there that can decrypt WEP, even 128 bit, in realtime. The only way to really, truely secure a wireless network is with ssh encryption.

...and I just realized you could probably find my house with your laptop. ;)

[katster.livejournal.com]

Ahh, here, this might help explain why I think what I think.

Warchalking Legality FAQ.

You're still free to disagree with me, but I don't really think I'm taking anything.

-kat

C'mon, play fair

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

It's people like you what cause unrest. 8)

Re: C'mon, play fair

[katster.livejournal.com]

Yup, the evil terrorist I am, huh? ;)

-kat

[lots42.livejournal.com]

What in the name of my pants is warchalking?

[fb.livejournal.com]

I'm going to guess it's related to or is the same thing as wardriving, which is travelling around with an 802.11b-equipped laptop looking for wireless networks. I'm told there are a staggering number of wireless networks connected to the internet in downtown San Francisco alone that don't even bother with encryption, there's a well-known hacking group that keeps maps even.

there's nothing wring with warchalking...

[koyote.livejournal.com]

provided your usage is reasonable, you play nice,a nd you reciprocate when available.

I'd love it if I could wireless from just about anywhere I go without having to worry about paying silly fees ($30 a month for wireless at a cafe?!?!?!?!?!?!) sicne I alreayd pay for DSL, and am willing to share if people don't abuse the bandwidth.

I realize this is terribly anti-everything-that-makes-us-american, but the *concept* is both very libertarian (close it if you don't wanna play, let people play who are willing, and be nice.) and very "community oriented".

both sins of great evilness here I guess.

Re: there's nothing wring with warchalking...

[flaim.livejournal.com]

I guess my concern is that many people don't realize they're leaving the theoretical door open. If they're doing so knowing that people are gonna mooch off it, and are okay with that, fine. But if it's just sloppy networking administration, the right thing to do would be to say "Hey, you've got this set up this way, are you sure this is how you want it, cuz anyone walking by can use your bandwidth." At least IMHO.

Re: there's nothing wring with warchalking...

[eleri.livejournal.com]

Last story I heard about someone going "hey, did you know your sercutiy is poor, and I could get into your harddrive if I was a jerk", they ended up in jail. :/ If you're going to show someone te flaws in their system, it helps if you're not going to get nailed for even looking for those flaws.

[katster.livejournal.com]

fb and koyote answered this very well, but I figured I'd throw this in:

www.warchalking.org will help make sense of this. :)

-kat