California passes Wi-Fi user protection bill

Sep 5, 2006 3:20 PM

California's state assembly has passed a bill to require makers of wireless Internet access gear to warn consumers of the risks of using unsecured wireless connections, Reuters reports.

Legislators in both houses of the state legislature voted overwhelmingly in favor or the "Wi-Fi User Protection Bill" to inform users how to secure networks against "piggybacking," or unauthorized sharing of wireless access, said a spokesman for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, who proposed the bill.

Most Wi-Fi users ignore security options when setting up wireless gear and thus expose their computer networks to public view. Leaving connections open enables nearby residents or occasional passersby to share this wireless access.

"The question is, can we legislate away consumer idiocy?" Paul Debeasi, a wireless industry analyst with the Burton Group based in Midvale, Utah, tells the news service.

Every year millions more U.S. consumers buy Wi-Fi routers in order to turn home broadband cable or telephone links into wireless links, providing Internet access to any computer in the nearby vicinity.

So-called "piggybacking" violates the terms of service of most access providers who supply the underlying Internet connections. It also can expose users to the threat of hackers invading their computers and grabbing personal or confidential corporate data.

The California bill, which was introduced in April, calls for manufacturers to put warning labels on Wi-Fi network gear to advise consumers in one of four ways.

These can include placing stickers on the boxes, including them in the setup software, by taking some specific action when setting up the router or through another process that automatically secures the connection without consumer effort.

The Wi-Fi Alliance, an industry trade group, initially opposed the legislation, but then swung in favor of it.

Only equipment sold after October 2007 would be required to comply with the law.

The bill now goes to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who must sign it before it goes into law. The California senate passed the bill 53-3 last week. The Assembly voted 51-0 on Tuesday.

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