Net Security

Stumbling back to school.

This is all true.

I decided to do some work last night in the bedsit. Some wep password design, and I put on my laptop NetStumbler, a handy dandy program that scans the airwaves for Access Points to connect to.

Being in the city of an evening I did not think much of how many I could see, but I was surprised to find a number of Access Points open.


All the signals were poor, but netstumbler connected to one and gave me an ip address. Firstly I thought it was the little office down the road, after hours, no one in.

Looking at the DNS, I found it was the local school, and using my network places saw 5 computers all with shares, 3 printers.

I’m not going to tell you the local school’s name for fear or abuse.

This morning I phoned to school to warn of the security breach, and talked to the head teacher about it.

She was friendly – but seemed a little naive. When I said anyone with a wireless device (laptop and wireless adapter I said to her), could sit outside the school grounds and hack in, she started to get a bit concerned.

I said “If I can do it then a paedophile can”.

She replied saying she’d get onto it, and if I needed my help could she?

I gave her my number.

Now … get this. I scanned the area and found 5 access points, one the school, the other 4 I presume local houses. I don’t know how knowledgable these people are, but I bet they can see the schools access points.

I’m now either waiting for their technicians to call me, or the police to turn up at work and haul me away.

Anyway, I’m awaiting some response. I’m not going to try and connect again unless I’m invited to test the security.

If I had my kids at that school, I’d want the school details secure, not available to any idiot with a laptop.

Never had this problem when I was a kid, mind you computers were not standard issue then, and paper only flies through the air when it’s folded correctly.

I’m sure I’ve done the right thing and told them.

You think?