Somebody’s been surfing on my Internet!!

So what happens if some uses your Internet connection to do something illegal?  Who is responsible?
There are no easy answers.  According to the folks at LegalMatch.com, the evil doer is usually to blame.  As a matter of fact, connecting to your unprotected WiFi without your knowledge may itself be considered a crime.
To muddy the waters even further, what if you allow someone to connect to your WiFi and they engage in illegal activity on your Internet connection?  In some interpretations of this scenario you would be considered a service provider and be afforded the same protections as an ISP under the Communications Decency Act.
So where does all of this leave you?  What does all of this mean to the general Internet surfing public?  My advice is don’t find out.  Even if you’re not legally liable, do you really want the police at your home or office asking about kiddy porn that was downloaded from your IP address?  I don't think so.
Secure all of your wireless connections.  There is no reason to ever have an open WiFi connection in your home or office.  Even the least expensive consumer grade routers come with instructions on how to implement WEP or better yet WPA security.  Even a simple password is enough to dissuade most Internet “piggy-backers”.  Don’t give out your WiFi password to anyone outside of your own home or office.   In the office change that password on a regular basis.  If your business requires allowing guest access to your Internet connection, protect it.  Establish policies and implement content filters for those guests.
If you not sure where to start seek the help of an IT professional.
Welcome to the future.
- Posted by Mike Oster

Leave a comment!

You must be logged in to post a comment.