Singapore teen sentenced for WiFi theft

AustralianIT reports that Garyl Tan Jia Luo (17) could have been sentenced to jail but District Judge Bala Reddy said the youth would instead serve 18 months\' probation – including some time in a boys\' home – unless he was called up for compulsory military national service. Tan, who secured access to a wireless router belonging to a person identified as Amos Leong, pleaded guilty to the charge under the Computer Misuse Act. Reddy told the court that a social worker had reported Tan was addicted to online gaming. The judge recommended Tan receive assessment and treatment for the problem, and ordered his parents to ensure the youth has no Internet access during his probation. Full AustralianIT report

The dangers of using free wireless hot spots are being highlighted amid new reports of third parties stealing the information sent over the Internet, including usernames and passwords. The risks of an insecure wireless network include having one’s files and/or identity stolen, or getting a spyware-infested PC. Windows Vista users are especially vulnerable to this type of attack due to the difficulty in identifying it when using Vista. Computer World reports that some ‘Free Wi-Fi’ spots - particularly at airports – are actually ad hoc, peer-to-peer networks, possibly set up as a trap by someone with a laptop nearby. You can use the Internet, because the attacker has set up his PC to let you browse the Internet via his connection. But because you\'re using his connection, all your traffic goes through his PC, so he can see everything you do online, including all the usernames and passwords you enter for financial and other Web sites. Security company Authentium Inc. has found dozens of ad hoc networks at airports around the US. ‘You connect to one of these networks at your own peril,’ says Corey O\'Donnell, vice president of marketing at Authentium. Full Computer World report