business fixing insecure wireless

What do people think of the idea of driving around
residential neighborhoods, finding insecure access points,
and offering to fix them for a flat fee?

Ian

On 25-Jul-2005, Ian <ian.to(UNSPAM)@sympatico.ca> wrote:

> What do people think of the idea of driving around
> residential neighborhoods, finding insecure access points,
> and offering to fix them for a flat fee?
>
> Ian

I've come to learn that anyone can make money doing "almost" anything. If
you decide to try this endeavor, review the laws in your area. Also, I
wouldn't offer to "fix" an insecure access point, I would offer to "secure"
it for them.

--
Just Me, D

Ian <ian.to(UNSPAM)@sympatico.ca> wrote in
news:(E-Mail Removed):

> What do people think of the idea of driving around
> residential neighborhoods, finding insecure access points,
> and offering to fix them for a flat fee?
>
> Ian
>
>

Hey way not? It could save someone thousands of dollars.

Duane

Ian <ian.to(UNSPAM)@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>What do people think of the idea of driving around
>residential neighborhoods, finding insecure access points,
>and offering to fix them for a flat fee?

Sounds like a nightmare. What do you do when a client calls to tell
you that their machines won't stay connected, or something doesn't
work right any more. Make it right for the same flat fee?

I wouldn't be surprised to have the cops stop by and ask what you are
up to.

How do you find the owner of "Linksys" or "Default" and even explain
the problem?

Hope your business insurance is paid up!

> How do you find the owner of "Linksys" or "Default" and even explain
> the problem?

Given that Netstumbler doesn't log traffic, easiest thing would be to
just drive a neighbourhood and count AP's then just do a leaflet drop of
the entire neighbourhood.

Spending time trying to identify each AP user could prove to be an
expensive endeavour in time and besides, just because it's not showing
as WEP or WPA doesn't mean that it's not secure.

David.

Ian wrote:
> What do people think of the idea of driving around
> residential neighborhoods, finding insecure access points,
> and offering to fix them for a flat fee?

Contribute an article in your local newspaper explaining WiFi security.

When do actually DO the work, a disclaimer that you are using explaining
"best practices" could be a good defense if need be. Basically the
courts see negligence as did you did or didn't do what someone else did
or didn't do in a same or similar situation.

Ian wrote:
> What do people think of the idea of driving around
> residential neighborhoods, finding insecure access points,
> and offering to fix them for a flat fee?

Many insecure access points are not secured for a reason, even though
it's usually a bad reason. It doesn't mean that the owner doesn't know
how to secure them themselves, at no cost.

I was at my son's friend's house, and was talking to his friend's father
about wireless, and I asked if he had secured the network. He told me
that he hadn't, because he ddidn't think that his VPN software would
work over a secured wireless network.