Beware: WiFi May Be Evil

By Nikhil Pahwa ⋅ September 17, 2008 Post a Comment ⋅

Print This Post ⋅

What is that saying about throwing out the baby with the bathwater? After two instances of hacked WiFi connections being used by terrorists to send emails, WiFi security is making news in India. I think this is an over-reaction, and the media isn’t helping much. Stories of WiFi connections being used to send the emails were all over the TV Channels; now the newspapers have picked it up, and are blowing things out of proportion. In India, WiFi is suddenly evil, and don’t even think about telling your neighbours you have a WiFi connection.

The TRAI is getting into the act and planning to issue guidelines to ISPs, asking them to ensure that WiFi connections permit access only to authorized persons.

Newsflash: A WiFi connection that uses authorization can be hacked too, so making authorization mandatory will not help. It’ll only make the task a little more difficult. Here’s a thought - they’ve used email addresses from service providers like Yahoo to send these terror emails, so why not also force Yahoo, Rediff, Microsoft and Google to verify users from India, before allocating accounts? The mobile operators had to do it…And hey, since they used an auto rickshaw to plant bombs…shouldn’t auto rickshaw drivers be asked to note down IDs of every single passenger?

My problem is with WiFi irrationaly being highlighted: going after WiFi connections is pointless, and I’m afraid WiMax might face similar issues in the future. The WiFi connections, or even cybercafes in the past, weren’t used to bomb…they were used to send emails. If the idea is to be able to trace the people sending the emails, they’ll still find workarounds. However, in the process, the security agencies will end up inconveniencing those with WiFi connections, and Cybercafe customers and owners.

Cybercafes are struggling for survival in India, and the number of permits required, and the harassment of cybercafe owners is one of the reasons for that. Take a look at Reasons For The Declining Growth of Cybercafes In India.

Related:
Slashdot: Open WiFi may become illegal in India

DoT, Internet, Policy, TRAI
Print This Post

Tags: Broadband, Cybercafes, Guidelines, India, Internet, Policy, Terrorism, TRAI, WiFi

Spot on, Nikhil. There was another article I read (i think in the ToI) which screamed out ‘WiFi Hacked in India’… heh.

Posted by Asfaq Tapia | September 18, 2008, 10:29 am

This is ridiculous . I think that putting a WEP security is by no mean guarantee that Wi Fi won’t be used for nefarious purpose . any one can go to a Barista , buy a 60 Rs card and login to the Wi Fi there ? or a Terrorist with a 1 Rupee coin can call from a unmonitored public telephone booth to inform or take responsibility

so what will authorities do next? impose “Know Thy Customer” law on Coffee Shops and STD Booths ?

this is a typical Beating the Strawman reaction you expect from Govt Agencies in the aftermath of a BIG terrorist attack . two year back they banned all Blogging tool for the same reasons. only to lift the ban after few weeks .

As someone who survived the attack by a margin of 15 Min I think it will be good if govt stop looking for scape goat and take some definitive action to crub Terrorism

Posted by Prashant Singh | September 18, 2008, 11:26 am

BTW Its good to see a Mainstream Biz publication linking to /.
never seen that before :)

Posted by Prashant Singh | September 18, 2008, 11:28 am

Thank you. This is ridiculous and reactionary in every conceivable way. No one in the MSM seems to know how tha Intarwebz actually works.

Posted by roswitha | September 18, 2008, 12:34 pm

@roswitha: expecting the MSM to understand how the intrawebz works is like expecting an online industry professional to figure out how business works in the real world. LOL

Posted by Lord Haw Haw | September 18, 2008, 5:01 pm

Oh God, please dont suggest account approvals for Yahoo and Gmail…. someone in the anti-terror cell will take notice and think “Umm… you know what, that’s a brilliant idea!”

From then on, before registering at yahoo, gmail, Flickr or Youtube, one will have to fill the online form, AND send 2 attested copies of passport AND a self attested passport size photo.

Posted by Saad Akhtar | September 18, 2008, 6:10 pm

How about banning cyber cafes, that are used to send emails(most of the times), and shutting down PCOs and Telephone booths, that are use to make hoax or some times real and threatening calls.

How about banning any usable thing that can be mis-used.

Posted by Anshul | September 27, 2008, 10:45 am

Discuss

Headlines

Downloads

Contact: Use this form, or
Editor: nikhil@medianama com or
Correspondent:: preethi@medianama.com
Email Press Releases to: releases@medianama com