I just got off the phone with a good friend of mine in the mobile IT business. He had a client today who had their account suspended without notification, after a call to Cox support he was told that the customer's account was disabled because of an 'open wireless access point.' After some further questions he found out that now have vans driving around in various customer areas throughout Orange County and San Diego.

Anyone else heard of this going on? What are the implications of this? Is Cox connecting to customer networks without their permission or just scanning to see for a AP without WEP? What are the chances of Cox turning off a customer that has an AP (without WEP) powered on but not connected to the net? What is the deal with not telling customers they have been turned off and still billing them?

Wow I found this on the Netstumubler's Website.... How do they know that just because you have a non WEP AP that you are letting others use your wireless... I know of a few ways to have an non-WEP AP and still control access (NOCatAuth w/Locked to MAC Address) Also this is proof that most people do not know what they are doing, RTFM your AUP. But does the every day 'Joe' (or Tom & Dick :) ) know really what security is?

But someone posted a good question...

Yup, which brings up a question.. and I know Wardriving is not illegal but there are some that will say it is, and we have seen cases where a wardriver crossed the line (read accessed) on a network but lets say the fed steps in and rules wardriving is illegal, would Cox then be in violation of the law?
Cops are not allowed to commit a crime to catch a crook in most cases, least not with out some judge signing off on the act.

But I agree that there should have been some warning mailed (and emailed) to the user giving them say 30 days to either secure the AP or turn it off.

However, if the AP was insecure, Cox could have tested it... aka "crossed the line" and see if they can get online and go out to the net.. if they could not, then the AP is no concern to them since it does not connect to their network.

I mean if I had an AP connected to a "HoneyPot" which would did not have access to the outside world, my ISP has no beef with me since the packets go from wifi user to AP to HoneyPot to \dev\null.

but if they "accessed" the AP, then aren't they commiting an illegal act of network intrusion?

So legal or not?

Cox Using Wardriving To Shut Down Customers?