Newsletter Archive

The Internet 800 Directory - http://www.inter800.com
The Internet 800 Directory Newsletter
This issue is for Friday, September 24, 2004
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Table of Contents
01. Wardriving
02. Jaywalkers and Other Rude People
03. Tip Of The Week
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*01 Wardriving

What Is Wardriving?

According to Dictionary.com it means, "To drive around with a laptop
with a wireless card, and an antenna, looking for accessible wireless
networks."

With the popularity of wireless networks, some individuals have
discovered a new activity. With a laptop computer, wireless network
card, free software and a car they can cruise around looking for
wireless networks to hack. If you are using a wireless network in your
home or business you are vulnerable.

The software available to wardrivers can track many access points at
once and monitor the signal strength. They can also check to see if the
network is encrypted. Once a wardriver finds an unencrypted network, the
wardriver can utilize their Internet access and explore other computers
on the network. These intruders can also read any files that are being
shared on the network.  By utilizing other easily available programs
they can also scrutinize the network's traffic. This can provide them
information like passwords or credit card numbers sent to the Internet,
including SSL secured data.

If you are using a wireless network, please make sure you are at least
protecting yourself with these basic steps.

-1.Don't broadcast your SSID.
SSID is short for service set identifier and it differentiates one WLAN
from another, so all access points and all devices attempting to connect
to a specific WLAN must use the same SSID. If you can configure your
router to not broadcast your SSID, it will make your network more
difficult to detect.

-2. Change the default password of your router.
Experienced hackers know the default passwords of the different routers
and some software programs tell them the manufacturer when scanning.

-3. Encrypt your wireless communication.
Encrypting your wireless network is not foolproof, because there are
programs that can break the encryption. However, breaking encryption
takes time and most wardrivers will pass you by searching for the open
networks.

Wardriving has also shown the way to another term. This one comes from
the Great Depression when Hobos would leave a secret marks on homes or
business that provided them a meal so other Hobos would know to stop
there.  The term is Warchalking, marking a place where you can get
wireless Internet access.

Chuck Arning chuck@inter800.com
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*02 Jaywalkers and Other Rude People

It used to be that jaywalkers in New York City were ever-present and
pervasive. I guess, over the years, that the cabbies took such a toll
that one hardly ever sees one after the light turns.

Boy, not here. They may even wait for the light to turn before they step
out in front of one's vehicle.

That are several things about blatant jaywalking that strike me as
significant:
-1. It's illegal.
-2. It's dangerous.
-3. It's rude.
-4. The people have a total disregard and respect for others. They are
more important than they other person. This is the type of person with
whom I do not want to associate.

They are also the type that leaves their grocery cart in the middle of a
vacant parking space, even if it's only two spaces down from the cart
rack. (Did I mention lazy?)

Furthermore, I'm convinced that they are addictive gum chewers from an
early age that are regimentally trained that the only place to dispose
of one's gum is on a sidewalk or some other public walking path. If they
learned that well enough, they graduate into elevator barging, whereby
they must absolutely elbow their way into an elevator while others are
trying to get off.

Needless to say, extra credit is given for cutting people off while
driving and learning to disconnect their turn signal. Running red lights
and stop signs is a corollary to the jaywalking. Throwing trash on
streets, yards, in parks, etc. is simply another technique of this rude
and selfish, uncaring behavior.

The more advanced behavior is, that if they are confronted by someone
objecting to their actions, they must resort to finger gestures, obscene
language, and in some cases, violence - because, after all, they are
more important than the other guy.

Steven Jackson - saj@inter800.com
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for someone to supply them with goods or services.

Will they find you or your competition?

Call 800-299-1879!
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Tip of the Week

Avoid One-Word Subjects When Sending E-mails


If you want your e-mail to be read try to avoid one-word subject lines.
Sending e-mail with subject lines like, "Hello" or "Hi" have a good
chance of never being seen by the person you are sending them. Because
of spam and virus-created e-mails single word subject lines may be
filtered or deleted as spam.

If you have any tips or shortcuts that you think the readers of this
Newsletter will find useful, send them to chuck@inter800.com

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