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Dora Gonzales may have to explore other options for Internet service, thanks to Cable One.
Dora Gonzales sat down in front of her computer this week to check her e-mail, surf the web and play a little Tetris.
Instead of e-mail, the Albuquerque resident found a message telling her to call Cable One’s Internet security department, because her service was canceled.
“You downloaded a movie illegally and we’re shutting your service off,” came the explanation from Cable One, her local cable company.
Gonzales proclaimed her innocence, noting she doesn’t have the first clue how to download movies online.
After several minutes of conversation, Cable One figured out what was probably happening. Gonzales not surprisingly didn’t secure the wireless network Cable One provided her with its cable modem broadband service. Someone, possibly a neighbor, hopped on board her connection for some downloading mischief. As a result, the illegal download was traced back not to the perpetrator, but to Gonzales — who takes the fall because it was her account.
Cable One manager told KOB-TV that Gonzales was ultimately responsible, even though the situation is not unique.
“What will happen is because they’re using your modem, it’s going to come back to you,” said Cable One manager David Gonzalez. “So the movie company or whoever is going to be trying to press charges will be looking at you because it came from your computer.”
Cable One wants to reduce the risk customers might face using the company’s wireless equipment, so effective immediately, it is requiring customers use passwords to access their wireless networks.
While a noble idea, Stop the Cap! reader Jon notes his Cable One gear only offers him the option of WEP security, a wireless security protocol that was broken back in 2005.
“Any neighbor savvy enough to run peer-to-peer traffic over the neighbor’s Wi-Fi is probably well-equipped to hack their way through WEP-based security in mere minutes,” he writes. “Even worse, it becomes a lot harder for victims to claim innocence when they were running in a ‘secure mode’ that is anything but.”
A quick check with Cable One shows the cable company is equipping at least some of its customers with more security-conscious modems. The company now advises customers to use WPA-PSK security, which its newer equipment supports. Existing customers using older WEP-only modems should consider switching them out with Cable One for newer equipment.
Frontier Communications is another provider equipping some of its DSL customers with WEP-only modems. We had one at Stop the Cap! headquarters when we tested their DSL service last year.
Consumers using wireless routers are advised to use the latest versions of WPA security, which offer better protection. Be sure to use a password that is easy for you to remember but hard for others to guess. Using a combination of letters and numbers and avoiding words or phrases is strongly recommended.
[flv width=”480″ height=”290″]http://www.phillipdampier.com/video/KOB Albuquerque Providers Crack Down of Wireless Pirating 11-8-10.flv[/flv]
KOB-TV in Albuquerque reports Cable One is shutting off broadband service for customers not using wireless security. (2 minutes)
I highly suggest using WPA2-PSK (AES) these days as well. Most Wireless G routers made in the last 4-5 years should support it, maybe by means of a software upgrade if it doesn’t already through hardware means or by means of the pre-installed firmware. So far, the only method I’m aware of that is capable of breaking it is by brute force, which a strong key should easily stand up against. Phil, I might also mention that while Frontier’s modems do apparently come set to WEP as default, the SE567s do support WPA2-PSK AES encryption as well as WPA-PSK (TKIP),… Read more »
Another option is to turn off the wireless part and do full port forward to another newer router that is capable of wpa2-psk.
I have done this in the past with a similar situation.
The problem is that many older devices do not support WPA. I just visited an older lady I know in my area, who has a old Pentium 4 laptop with Windows XP on it…. 512 Mb of RAM, and all she does with it is read her email, browse the web, play some solitaire, write some letters…. and that’s about it. She does not need a new PC, and I just recently cleaned it all up for her, and it still runs like new. The problem: The internal wireless of that laptop only supports WEP. So that is how I… Read more »
I have heard the WEP/WPA discussion before. In most cases any security is enough security, the reason they have issues is because its open. Those using looking for an open connection in almost all cases move on and find something else open. Yes it can be hacked..but its often beyond someone downloading Debbie does Rochester.
Hob
WEP is broken horribly to the point that, to someone cruising for free WiFi, it’s open. Using a card that supports active attacks (which any good wardriver will have) we’re talking broken in about thirty seconds. That’s insecure.
WPA and WPA2+TKIP is also vulnerable unless you’re rotating keys several times a day. WPA2+AES is the only thing that’s secure enough to trust your home wireless to.
Of course the neanderthals running the law books and the thugs from the copyright industry don’t care, so enjoy being sent to prison because of what that guy parked on the street downloaded.
“Of course the neanderthals running the law books and the thugs from the copyright industry don’t care, so enjoy being sent to prison because of what that guy parked on the street downloaded.”
Do you have any examples of this?
While a Cableone customer my Non Cableone VOIP phone was continuously interrupted, prior to Cableone offering VOIP phone service in Boise. I never had a problem with this until Cableone offered VOIP phone service. In fact I called a couple times and asked them when they would be offering this service. They were way behind the 8 ball on this. Many other bright minds were at work before them. However, once they got their act together, somewhat, they started acting just like the monopoly Ma Bell & charging ridiculous rates for their phone service. Every other service I found was… Read more »
“Consumers using wireless routers are advised to use the latest versions of WPA security, which offer better protection. Be sure to use a password that is easy for you to remember but hard for others to guess. Using a combination of letters and numbers and avoiding words or phrases is strongly recommended.” Actually, a better recommendation is to pick a longish (12-16 character) random sequence of letters with a few numbers and symbols thrown in, write it on a Post-It note, and put that on the wireless router or modem. This means your password is more secure, and you don’t… Read more »