Comments on: UK File-Sharers and the “Wireless Defense”

By: Virgin Media Router

Virgin Media Router — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:04:25 +0000

What about cloning of virgin media routers?

see http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Motorola-Surfboard-SB5100-LATEST-SIGMA-FLASHED_W0QQitemZ170245752168QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item170245752168&_trkparms=72%3A12|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.l1318

or tcniso

All the hacker needs is to find your routers MAC address and they’re effectively ‘riding’ on your connection. The IP address would link to YOUR account. Virgin Media has virtually no way to fight this.

They don’t need to be next door, they can be anywhere with a cable connection.

How’s that for a defense?

By: Jadedan

Jadedan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:47:42 +0000

As the legal issues surrounding file-sharing heat up in the UK, more and more recipients of compensation demands are considering their defense. One such possibility is the ‘wireless’ or ‘WiFi’ defense. We take a look at the issue and try to shine some light on what people can expect, should they take this route.

By: XAVeRY

XAVeRY — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:21:18 +0000

With WPA2, as well as WPA, the strength of the encryption is based on how strong the key is. If you’re going to use short passwords commonly found in wordlists, then you’re just as secured as when you’re using no security. And don’t even get me started on WEP, which can be cracked much more easier than WPA(2). I can assure you that if you’re going to use a WPA(2) passphrase coming from a random symbol generator (such as the one found on http://www.kurtm.net/wpa-pskgen/ or just /dev/urandom on Unixes), you won’t get unknown people strolling around your network.

About the logs from the routers : most routers don’t even write logs, and if they do, they’re just stored in the RAM and therefore lost whenever the device reboots.

By: h33t

h33t — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:42:32 +0000

good article

the number 1 strategy against filesharers is bullying

bullying is illegal at school, work, on the street, in hospital, at church, but the media cartels prefer it above all

http://www.h33t.com

By: Crusher Destroyer

Crusher Destroyer — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:10:52 +0000

I’m an American living in Japan at the moment. I am DL the shit outta Waffles, Demonoid, and TPB. I am not worried as I don’t think that any of these agencies could communicate with my Japanese ISP.

Maybe, but..

What do ya’ll think?

By: Technocat

Technocat — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:07:06 +0000

@21
There’s an even easier way in linux, just use:

# macchanger -r eth1

for a completely random address every time.

By: Welshie

Welshie — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:55:23 +0000

‘When I first installed and tested the wifi, it ran really fast, but when I setup the recommended (not REQUIRED) level of security passwords, it slowed right down. So to get the speed I payed for, your honour, I had to…’

By: Izkata

Izkata — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:50:51 +0000

So, multiple MAC addresses in the logs makes it less likely that they’ll believe you did it?

for linux:
sudo ifconfig eth1 down hw ether 01:01:A0:A0:FF:FF
sudo ifconfig eth1 up

Yay, new MAC address!

By: 10 is a moron

10 is a moron — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:25:21 +0000

@10
Just read that article.
It references the laser printer.
That’s it.
Everything else is completely different from this article.
Not a SINGLE sentence was copypasta.
Conclusion-
You’re a moron.

By: oneplusone

oneplusone — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:04:08 +0000

@ #6… Then you’re not going to be mounting a robust wi-fi defense anytime soon? Cause you’re convinced yer WPA2′s a +20 Wizard with Balls of Fire?
Then you wouldn’t be interested in this information: “-=Xploitz=- VIDEO: Volume #3 “E-Z WPA/WPA2 Cracking Tutorial …”

Secure wireless is hilarious, even as science fiction. Flash, look out!

By: Hyrrokkin

Hyrrokkin — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:02:18 +0000

@15 they could do that by linking the owner’s mac addresses to the paid bill thingy while everything else doesn’t get counted, with some router changes I guess…

By: mm

mm — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:59:03 +0000

New technology, old world.

Technology is moving faster then these dumb ass politicians, law makers and men of power can even dream of..

Say goodbye to control you pieces of shit, your time has come.

Oh and funny thing about technology.. it takes a bit of time to impact the world.. so if you think about it.. we already won.. and your just now realizing it.

By: YaaaaaaaaaaaaaaY

YaaaaaaaaaaaaaaY — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:21:49 +0000

macchanger FTW !!!

Time to start generating random MAC each time :)

Prove THAT ya ba$tard$

By: nil

nil — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:15:44 +0000

@14… Not sure i like the sound of that. Even though they say its secure, nothings ever completely secure. They also mention that visitors using your connection don’t count towards your usage allowance which also sounds suspect.

By: lewi

lewi — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:37:35 +0000

The company behind almost every phone line in the UK is urging people to “share” their wireless routers.

http://www.btfon.com/

By: @ 6

@ 6 — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:34:44 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TuuTCnCVOA

f*ck your WPA2.

My point still remains the same, the sheer fact that its unsecured or not should be irrelevant.. sure it decreases the probability of someone on your network.. but so what, there’s still a chance so it shouldn’t even be considered. (Im on the pirate side btw)

By: wtf

wtf — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:09:38 +0000

are you blind or insane? This article is fuck all like Cory’s post.

Nice try pal, but you are clueless

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:03:49 +0000

I lived in the UK for a few months and while I was there I payed for my internet connection with my US credit card and downloaded heaps of copyright stuff.
What could they do? Chase me to the US? Ha good luck.

By: Z

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:55:43 +0000

This is way WAY too similar to Cory Doctorow’s article “Getting tough on copyright enforcers”.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jul/01/internet.copyright

I know we’re all pirates here, but come on. This is plagiarism.

By: hmm

hmm — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:39:04 +0000

so what happens when someone hacks into or uses and open network of a (mafiaa funded) judges/parliament members wifi network and shares? I’d bet the wifi defense would work then.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:56:05 +0000

Andrew – they said that about WEP.. err..

By: Mr.Afghanistan

Mr.Afghanistan — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:43:05 +0000

Funny part is: UK is pushing their residents more then USA :)

I think USA artists are losing $ cause of file sharing, then why UK gov is pushing and punishing UK residents too much ?

As i can see, USA anti piracy doesn’t care about pirates at all, i never heard of punishment or sue someone in USA, always bad news coming from UK LoL

I think UK anti piracy should calm down for a while and learn from USA little bit.

I thought USA is the baddest country for pirate boys, but i was wrong!

UK = the baddest country for pirates.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:20:52 +0000

@4
Try to hack my wifi “IN LESS THAN A MINUTE.” I assure you that with WPA2 encryption it would take you a lot longer than a minute to get access.

By: anon

anon — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:07:13 +0000

If the media-mafia goofs have their way, they can then sue the ISP providers because the infringement took place on their service (and by their customer, ridiculously accusing the providers with complacency in committing copyright infringement).

The media-mafia will take a mile when given an inch so the ISP providers should view any pro-media-mafia judgements with caution.

By: ..

.. — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:45:27 +0000

IT IS YOUR CHOICE TO SECURE YOUR WIRELESS. Just because you decide not to (Or dont even know how) means ABSOLUTELY nothing.

Not only does it mean nothing, you can HACK A WIRELESS CONNECTION IN LESS THEN A MINUTE. Just because its secured means nothing.

This is so stupid I cant even talk more about this its hurting my brain..

By: TD123

TD123 — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:41:32 +0000

Finally, some sense is being knocked into these people….

By: Aemony

Aemony — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:40:51 +0000

True, so true…

By: www.eZee.se

www.eZee.se — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:35:28 +0000

Good article, i hope it helps people in the UK.

“Whatever the truth, one wrong accusation is 100% unacceptable.”

Depends who you ask :)

If you ask the RIAA 100 wrong and 1 right is good enough, after all… we *all* are guilty of *some* infringement right? (like they said in the Tanya Andersen case)

Cheers!
Ryan
http://www.ezee.se