This could turn out to be an interesting case, although I’m sure it’ll probably just die quickly as all parties probably just want the commotion to end, but a Florida man was arrested under a little-known and little used statute forbidding people from accessing other peoples’ wireless networks without their permission.
It would have been one thing if the guy had broken the network’s WEP key and broken into the guy’s network, but this was an open, unencrypted network where the SSID was being broadcast all over the cul-de-sac. It’s raised some serious questions about the legality of using someone’s network when it’s wide open like that, and whether ignorance of how to secure a network is protected by the law; most technology analysts don’t believe so-if you decide to buy a wireless router and set up a wireless home network, it’s your responsibility to either leave it open and know what you’re doing, or learn how to close it and secure it properly. Unfortunately, wireless routers don’t come with security instructions. Read more:
[ http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,121747,tk,dn070805X,00.asp ]