July/Aug 2005

As Wi-Fi wireless networks become increasingly common as a way for people to log on to the Internet, so does the practice of 'hijacking' someone else's Wi-Fi connection (intentionally or by accident). This is comparatively easy to do if you're reasonably technically savvy, but reportedly contravenes sections 125 and 126 of the Communications Act 2003.

One of the first cases to go to trial in the UK involved one Gregory Straszkiewicz, a 24-year-old man who has reportedly been fined £500 and given a 12 months conditional discharge for hijacking a wireless broadband connection with his laptop computer.

Whilst individuals have to take responsibility for their own actions, national law firm Rowe Cohen says there is a strong need for businesses to issue policy guidelines to employees. According to the company's Neil Gouldson: 'Employers must make sure that employees with company laptops know that piggybacking a wireless network that householders are using is illegal.'

If you want to go further and monitor the use of wireless networks in your business, one approach would be to install the AirPatrol Mobile system from Cirond Corporation, which is distributed in the UK by Network Utilities (Systems). This software-only solution, which runs under Windows on wireless-equipped desktops, tablets and laptops, is designed to help network administrators to detect and locate rogue wireless access points and laptops throughout an office environment.

 

Version2, which has just been released, provides additional information on all connected devices in an office, showing which access points each laptop or handheld computer is connected to. That includes both authorised wireless access points and clients and rogue devices being used to gain access to the network or acting as 'man in the middle' access points.

The full retail price is £1,495, but until 30 September there's a special introductory price of £895.