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RE: unsecured network - 7/13/2008 3:26:40 PM

outlier

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I'll second Thadius comment about businesses being unaware.

I heard a computer security expert on the radio say that one of
his most effective sales tools was to arrive early and log on to the
unsecured network of a prospective client and then download and
print sensitve information on a portable printer.

He said it never failed to make an impression during the meeting
when he produced it. Especially, financial, payroll, and medical
records and/or personal emails.

Outlier

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RE: unsecured network - 7/13/2008 5:00:57 PM

Thadius

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I have a friend in Chicago that gets alot of his business this way. He spends an afternoon driving around with his laptop logging all of the connections that he makes. Then goes in and pitches his services.

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RE: unsecured network - 7/13/2008 5:25:35 PM

DomKen

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Thadius

I have a friend in Chicago that gets alot of his business this way. He spends an afternoon driving around with his laptop logging all of the connections that he makes. Then goes in and pitches his services.

My company had a salesman doing that for a while but the questionable legality of it made our insurance carrier nervous.

Now we usually do the gag where we print off their payroll files or the like while we're in the meetings. It's never a big ticket item but is just one more line item for our comprehensive security upgrade. Putting in real network security and logging is where the big bucks are at.

Had one a couple of weeks back where the owner must have had a college kid setup the system. Was confident that his mySQL server on a Linux box sitting right on the network as a DB and file server was a safe place to store his data right up until I printed off the company payroll and offered to read it to the meeting. The Linux box and the mySQL installation still had the default root passwords.

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Post #: 23

RE: unsecured network - 7/13/2008 5:30:30 PM

Thadius

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I actually asked him if he ever worried about legal ramifications, he simply said "It's amazing how those things are forgotten about when you hand the CFO a copy of a personal email". I guess he has a point.

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RE: unsecured network - 7/13/2008 6:44:42 PM

slvemike4u

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Saw something like that on 60 mins. or something ,they showed how it is possible to gain all sorts of credit card info.just from sitting outside Macy's and such...these store don't protect their system so the consumer's information is "plucked"from the air

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RE: unsecured network - 7/13/2008 7:54:23 PM

Evility

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Thadius
I actually asked him if he ever worried about legal ramifications, he simply said "It's amazing how those things are forgotten about when you hand the CFO a copy of a personal email". I guess he has a point.

It's still kinda creepy, though. That would be like someone knocking on your door wanting to sell you a security system by showing you a photo they took last week of them standing in your bedroom after they got in through an unlocked window. I'd be glad for the heads up and would thank them accordingly but I'm not sure I would reward them with my business. Of course, with a wireless network you could do the same and never let on.

I can see three other networks from my wireless PC in my home and they are all secure networks. I was actually surprised to see them all secure - that's not usually the case. In the time it took to install mine and set the network security someone had already logged into mine.

I can understand people leaving their networks insecure if they aren't aware of what is happening but those folks who know about it and can't be bothered - I don't get that. It isn't terribly difficult to secure a wireless home network.

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Post #: 26

RE: unsecured network - 7/13/2008 9:22:38 PM

CruelDesires

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ArizonaSunSwitch
On the other hand, someone might come along and use your unsecured Internet connection to send an email to their least favorite politician suggesting that he'd like to help said politician transition to their next adventure in some fairly spectacular (not to mention non-consensual) way. If that happens you'll get people at your doorstep wanting to talk to you.

I'd suggest securing your network or getting help from someone to do it for you.

Or if they download kiddy porn. Try explaining that away to the FBI when they come and sieze all of your computers and data storage devices.

CD

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Post #: 27