Singapore teen faces 3 years' jail for tapping accessing unsecured wireless internet

[BoogyMan]

Hmmm, 3 years? He wasn't hacking, the AP he was accessing was left wide open.



SOURCE: Link Here (http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/11/asia/AS_GEN_Singapore_Internet_Charges.php)

SINGAPORE: A Singapore teenager has been charged with tapping into someone else's wireless Internet connection, a crime that carries a penalty of up to three years in jail, a newspaper reported Saturday.

Garyl Tan Jia Luo, 17, is the first person to be charged with this crime under the Computer Misuse Act, the Straits Times reported.

The report said Tan is accused of using a laptop computer to gain unauthorized access to a home wireless network on May 13.

The newspaper said a neighbor had apparently lodged a complaint against Luo.

Most notebook computers and personal digital assistants can detect unsecured networks and easily gain access.

Tan was released on a bail of 6,000 Singapore dollars (US$3,855; €3,000) and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.

If convicted, Tan faces up to three years in jail and fines of up to S$10,000 (US$6,425; €5,000) under the Computer Misuse Act.

[Elrathin]

Hmmm, 3 years? He wasn't hacking, the AP he was accessing was left wide open.


If I leave my house front door open and someone walks in un-invited, they can still be arrested for breaking and entering even though nothing has been broken to get in the house.

[Alonzo]

I used my neighbors wireless net for a few days last week. The wire connecting my pc with the main pc suddenly died for some odd reason (bought a wireless router so it's back up now). I needed to go online so I got a phone line and was going to use dialup on my laptop when I noticed that my laptop was picking up the wireless signal from next door. Was a pretty weak connection but it did the job.

[BoogyMan]

3 years for leeching an Internet connection is pretty extreme. I design and build networks for a living and find leeches to be useless but this AP was wide open.

Elrathin, I could see your analogy if he had been accessing private data on the network to which he attached. That is, however, not the case. If that is all that is required to break the law, you could get arrested for simply associating with an AP which happens automatically on many of today's portable system platforms when encryption is not used by the AP.

[Elrathin]

Elrathin, I could see your analogy if he had been accessing private data on the network to which he attached.


I agree the sentence is harsh, however, he still did it. Like I said earlier, even if someone walks into my house when I leave the door open doesn't make it right even if they don't take anything.

Is what he did a crime? Yes. Is what he did deserving of the sentence he got? No, not to me it isn't.

[Waffletush]

3 years for leeching an Internet connection is pretty extreme.Â*Â*I design and build networks for a living and find leeches to be useless but this AP was wide open.

Well, Singapore isn't exaclty know for it's light sentencing (hello Michael Fay!), even for 'little things' like littering, or spitting out chewing gum.Â*Â*We also have to remember, Singapore is sovereign in that it has it's own laws and punishments.Â*Â*Yes, I know you were aware of that, but do you remember when Fay was canned?Â*Â*There was a significant number of people in the US who thought that,Â*Â*even though the offense was 'minor vandalism', the punishment was merited, and that the US was too soft on criminals.Â*Â*

Caning for vandalism, and 3 years for unauthorized access of a wireless internet connection. Seems like Singapoe has a firm grip on the Window Cracks theory.

[BoogyMan]

Elrathin,Â*Â*I could see your analogy if he had been accessing private data on the network to which he attached.Â*Â*


I agree the sentence is harsh, however, he still did it.Â*Â*Like I said earlier, even if someone walks into my house when I leave the door open doesn't make it right even if they don't take anything.

Is what he did a crime?Â*Â*Yes.Â*Â*Is what he did deserving of the sentence he got?Â*Â*No, not to me it isn't.


Elrathin, you will need to support this commentary. Did you read my questions? When an AP in publishing and SSID without encryption most modern devices will automatically associate with that AP and pass DHCP requests for addressing right through.

I don't know if this is a crime or not.