[AusNOG] OT: Police Wardriving. Where else but QLD!

[Terry Manderson]

It's rare that I'll come out and call something completely hair-brained. But this is completely hair-brained.

Firstly, at present (in QLD), we have a situation where the police are arguing for more support staff and officers to keep up with their policing activity, that is enforcing the law.
having "Officers from the Hi Tech Crime Investigation Unit" war-driving enforces no laws and is an absolute waste of resources. Whats more is that I have very strong suspicions that the "Hi Tech Crime Investigation Unit" is already grossly under manned and under resourced. These sorts of activities are a flippant exercise. So how about this police department drop this waste of effort and send their people on technical training to help catch more REALLY BAD people involved in computer network crime.

Secondly, such a drive by letter drop approach is really not the answer and technically a temporary solution (oh look I got a new AP!). It's a waste of manpower given the alternatives of mass media. If Detective Superintendent Brian Hay is so keen on spending tax payer money - make a TV/Newspaper advertisement highlighting the risk and provide valid pointers to professionals who can actually help.

Thirdly and ultimately, this is solution only fixed by vendors and support techs not making a unsecured wifi network by default. The Pop-up phrase "are you really really really sure you're not insane" comes to mind.

Cheers
Terry


On 23/03/2012, at 9:46 AM, Sean K. Finn wrote:

> http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/security/police-to-cruise-streets-for-unsecured-wifi-20120322-1vmof.html
>  
> “The project was officially launched yesterday to coincide with National Consumer Fraud Week.
> Officers in the Hi Tech Crime Investigation Unit on wardriving missions will drive the streets of Brisbane with a laptop computer, looking for unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
> Residents and businesses owners in targeted areas will then be mailed information about how to effectively secure their connection.
> Police will return to the area some time later to check whether residents have taken heed of the warning.
> 
> 
> Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/security/police-to-cruise-streets-for-unsecured-wifi-20120322-1vmof.html#ixzz1ptOph04u”
>  
>  
>  
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