Every so often, I send out something similar to the text below.
Critiques welcome
A WIRELESS ROUTER IS AN OPEN DOOR TO YOUR HOME
Most people use a wireless router so they can use their handheld devices.
Wireless routers are great, but there are some very important reasons they
need to be locked down with strong passwords:
1) An open WiFi router or sharing your router password allows others to
do illegal things that will be traced with you. Direct Communications
cooperates with law enforcement authorities to track down internet sexual
predators. If the predator is parked near your house using your WiFi signal
from their car, it appears to us to be coming from your home. What will
happen is that the authorities will kick down the door at your house.
2) Outsiders can use your Wifi to attack others or to hack into other’s
computers and accounts. With a strong antenna they can be a half mile away
and still use your WiFi. Again, the activity will register as happening
inside your home.
3) A sophisticated hacker can take over your computers in your home and
make them repositories and servers for child porn, stolen credit card
numbers or any of a plethora of illegal information. You would not even
know it was happening in many cases.
4) An open router allows outsiders to actually see what web pages and
other content you are looking at.
5) Allowing a friend of neighbor to use your WiFi connection and your
internet account is called “Theft of Service”. You are collaborating in
allowing them to commit a crime and your are jeopardizing your own service
too.
