Dutch Court Rules WiFi Hacking Legal

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
Joined
May 9, 2000
Messages
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The Netherlands is the land of legalized prostitution, legal marijuana possession and now legal Wi-Fi Hacking. Is this a great country or what?

The Judge reasoned that the student didn't gain access to the computer connected to the router, but only used the routers internet connection. Under Dutch law breaking in to a computer is forbidden
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This is a ridiculous finding. Firstly a router is computer, it shows a basic lack of technical understanding by to not deem it as one. Even on the grounds of the technicality that 'it doesn't store information' is incorrect, it stores connection statistics & settings data.

Secondly if I have in my home a router, which is my property, which I have setup with restrictions to prevent unauthorised use, how is it not an invasion of my property and privacy if another person deliberately intercepts my information to crack the key, then uses that to forcibly gain access to my property which I have obviously demonstrated a desire to not be permitted in using connection restrictions in the first place.

And this doesn't even begin on stealing a service for which I've paid to use which may well have usage limits and at the very least would be impacting the performance.
 
From the article:
A computer in The Netherlands is defined as a machine that is used for three things: the storage, processing and transmission of data. A router can therefore not be described as a computer because it is only used to transfer or process data and not for storing bits and bytes. Hacking a device that is no computer by law is not illegal, and can not be prosecuted, the court concluded.
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Uh, I'm pretty sure there are routers that you can hook HD's to.
 
canna said:
From the article:


Uh, I'm pretty sure there are routers that you can hook HD's to.
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Even if this isn't the case. Are all the settings of the router stored externally?

So it stores some data
It processes data
it transmit data

hell going by their definition a computer not hooked up to the internet or one without any sort of modem/NIC isn't a computer?
 
Wow, the Netherlands seems like a place that doesn't respect people's privacy/
 
I would rather call it "Not illegal" instead of "legal", it's one of those cases where there simply hasnt been made any laws yet, but later may become illegal.
 
a router stores routing data, thus is a computer. the judge should not be ruling on technology if they don't bring in someone who knows technology to explain it.
 
drakken said:
a router stores routing data, thus is a computer. the judge should not be ruling on technology if they don't bring in someone who knows technology to explain it.
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What did you forget "the internets is a series of tubes"? No one does it like America.
 
Sniviler said:
Judge must be HIGH
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or getting certain things done to him under his desk while they were ruling the decision. Either way I think if they leave their wifi stuff without a password, then its not hacking. Or with a super easy to figure out password.
 
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