Wireless summer job ethics

I have been searching for a summer job recently, but my small town has no technology related summer jobs, and barely any technology jobs to begin with. I worked for an IT department in a factory last summer, but the budget got cut, and so did I. While doing a little War Driving I noticed that about a dozen buisnesses in my home town have wireless networks, yet don't use any encryption or any other form of proctection (that I could see with out breaking the law). My question is, is it etchical and legal to go around and offer to protect thier networks, and if it is what kind of fee (if any) should i request. Any opinions whould be nice.

 

I wouldn't. For a start, identifying who's wireless networks are whos is tricky from the information you get from wardriving.

For seconds, some people don't like the idea that you've found information out about them without them realising, and may even consider it hacking. Legally, its not a great position to be in: you've just walked around and collected a bucketload of information, to which you are to use to make money from said company.

I know, war driving in itself is not illegal, however some people are edgey when it comes to wireless security, because they don't know enough on the topic.

Of course, you could just offer it to everyone and see who wants it

 

That's what I'd do. Put together a flyer describing the vulnerabilities of wireless, and offer yourself as a consultant to test and tighten their security, assuming you have the knowledge to do it properly.

Offer a free on-site evaluation, and show them in person what's visible. They won't get nervous about you testing their systems with them watching you.

I don't have a clue what the service should be worth, but it should be worth a fair amount.

 

Well the simple way would be to say you can give them a free survey, and then charge X ammount for securing the network and let their IT department sort out all of the clients (laptops) connected. Depending on how much effort you feel it is worth you might want to charge a nominal fee regardless of the time taken.

 

Why would people in a small town care about the security of their wireless networks? If they're anything like the people in the small town that I live in they already know everything about everyone anyway. http://forums.majorgeeks.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif I'd personally go the Spyware and Virus protection route first, and then work the security info in later once you know for sure who has the wireless connection.

 

Baad. Once you start invesitating about the owners of the wireless networks, you start to get on the wrong side. Blanket marketing ensures that you show now knowlege that particular networks are insecure, you simply say that it is easy for them to be so.

However, virus/spyware removal is a lucrative market at the moment, especially for home users.

 

make a word document, in the form of a informational letter from you to tell about your business able to help theirs. and in the letter describe what is going on and you will give a free consultation. Make it as professional looking as possible. then go back and hook up to their network and find a networked printer and print it out. They will get the letter, they pay for the ink.. paper.. electricity etc. you pay nothing yet still advertise your expertise for free ad gives you an edge and them the curiousity of how this happen. knowing some folks.. they'll think it's a fax..

 

Haha, amusing idea But really, don't, because then you actually ARE breaking the law