Colorado Sheriffs To WarDrive For Safety

rwx writes "The Sheriff's Department in Douglas County, Colorado says it's going to start warning computer users that their networks may be vulnerable to hackers. It plans on equipping its patrol cars with devices that detect unprotected computer networks, and distributing brochures to computer users in vulnerable areas, instructing them on how to password protect their networks."

Limit access?

[JayDot]

Will this limit access on that great free wireless lan called "linksys"? I hope not; I didn't want to have to actually pay for Internet access after college.

Reminds me of the Movie Hackers

[neonprimetime]

FTFA
He also says hackers can upload or download such things as child pornography.

From a famous movie ... hackers penetrate and ravage delicate public and privately owned computer systems, infecting them with viruses...

Oh good!

[Chabil Ha']

I'm glad the policy are out making the city safe from wireless access points. Of course, now that all the drug dealers, rapists, pedophiles, theives, robbers, murderers, prostitutes, and school bullies are off the street, the next logical step is to make sure that the wireless APs are closed up.

I can feel the warm safety of encrypted radio waves already!

Check to see if my front door is locked

[bigtrike]

While they're at it, they may as well check to see that people's front doors are locked too. Criminals might break in and use their computer when they can't get a wireless signal.

Re:Yeah

[script_daddy]

Heh, the first response to a story is almost always a snarky putdown; I think it's become something of a tradition. God forbid the story is a dupe, then there's going to be snark overload.

I swear to God, if a news-item such as this would appear on the frontpage ..

Bill Gates has announced that he's realizing that Microsoft Windows is an inferior product and has decided to rebuild Windows Vista on a Linux kernel and release it under a FOSS license. Additionally, he is reported to have bitchslapped Steve Ballmer repeatedly claiming that "[sic] Man, I've been fucking longing to do that."

.. it's a pretty safe bet that the first reply would be something like this:

Yeah, so why didn't he hit him with a proper blunt weapon or shoot him in the face or something like that?

Re:This isn't their 'department'...

[QCompson]

And that would be a bad thing?

Yes, how could police officers going onto your private property and testing your doors to see if they are locked possibly be a bad thing?

I actually have a local policeman that comes into my house at night and makes sure I place my wallet in a secure location before I go to sleep. He also checks all the window-blinds to make sure no terrorists or pedophiles can see into our windows. Recently, I put in a request for a uniformed officer to monitor my children while they draw pictures; I wouldn't want them to poke themselves in the eye with a crayon.

Given the state of affairs today, I'd prefer everyone be required to pass a proficiency test and receive a license to use a computer.

Agreed. Computers are very, very dangerous if they fall into the wrong hands. If there was some way we could pour money into a complicated beuraucratic licensing system, I'd be all for it.

 

That's no way to do it

[Deadstick]

distributing brochures to computer users in vulnerable areas, instructing them on how to password protect their networks

Lame approach...that brochure will go in the basket with the aluminum siding ad. Better to leave them an email or an IM: "Hi there, Mr. Joe Blow! We were just driving down Partridge Meadows Blvd while you were browsing www.kidpoontang.com and thought you'd like to read this page about encryption and passwords..."

rj

Re:how long

[MooUK]

NO! Not the free beer! Save us all!

Re:Pickpockets

[Kamineko]

I would have just stolen the sign, myself.