Wardriving
Do you have a Wi-Fi–ready computer? Are you planning on taking a trip? If so, obtaining an Internet connection while you’re on the road may be easier than you think. Many businesses use unsecured wireless connections. Why would they do this? As an example, consider a hotel that offers free wireless Internet access to its guests. The hotel purposely leaves its network unsecured so that its employees do not have to help guests enter a security key. Although this certainly saves employees some time and makes it simple for hotel guests to connect, it makes the network very vulnerable. Theoretically, anyone driving by could pick up the wireless connection and connect to it with a simple click of a button or two. In fact, there are actually people who ride around and try to access unsecured networks. This has become so popular that it has been given a name: wardriving.
Your task in this research project is to research wardriving. Is it legal? If so, is there a point when it becomes illegal? What do wardrivers hope to accomplish? Are they just out for fun or are there some who have a more malicious purpose? Write a report that summarizes your findings.
Suggested Web Sites:
http://www.wardriving.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardriving
http://www.wardrive.net
Suggested Keywords:
Wardriving, Unsecured Wireless Networks, Unsecured Wireless Access Points
