Saturday, November 5, 2005
Westchester proposes stupid no-open-WiFi law -- stupid!
Clueless lawmakers in Westchester County have embarrassed themselves by proposing a law that would prohibit open WiFi networks, requiring even intentionally public networks to run an expensive, cumbersome server that would notify you of the terms of use. This supposedly is to secure the integrity of their cutomers' information, but the idea that lawmakers should be dictating which security measures to take (as opposed to punishing those whose security measures result in breaches of user information) is ridiculous. As this law demonstrates, few groups are less capable of understanding best security practices than small-town politicians.
The draft proposal offered this week would compel all "commercial businesses" with an open wireless access point to have a "network gateway server" outfitted with a software or hardware firewall. Such a firewall, used to block intrusions from outside the local network, would be required even for a coffee shop that used an old-fashioned cash register instead of an Internet-linked credit card system that could be vulnerable to intrusions...Link (via /.)According to the Westchester proposal, public Internet access sites also would have to post a sign saying: "You are accessing a network which has been secured with firewall protection. Since such protection does not guarantee the security of your personal information, use discretion." Violations of any part of the law would be punishable with fines of $250 or $500.
posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:36:15 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments
