5 ms·

This sounds like stealing to me. DNS/ICMP tunneling is a clever hack, but the end result is that you are using someone else's bandwidth without paying for it.

by jgfoot 18y ago

petercooper 18y ago
Sounds like making use of the generous DNS and ICMP features they're providing for free to me. "Stealing" is an overstatement for stuff like this. In the grand scheme of things it's like taking a penny from the penny tray, like plugging your computer in for power at a tech conference, like "testing" a few grapes in the grocery store, or like picking a pretty flower from a hedgerow.
- tptacek 18y ago
  Sounds to me like we're all getting crappy fucking DNS gateway software installed on our upstream connections. Thanks!
- hedgehog 18y ago
  I love security. An Apple II and two feet of floppies with an old game cracker's tools were my introduction to home computing. When I was younger I had a few adventures. So I hear where you're coming from. But this juvenile attitude of "they haven't figured out how to stop me so it must be ok" drives me nuts. Have a little integrity. Maybe it's a small thing but that doesn't make it nothing.
- swombat 18y ago
  It's not even really that. Unless you're really abusing that bandwidth, it was probably sitting unused anyway and would have served zero purpose if you had not used it. So it's more like taking a picture of a pretty flower in front of a sign that says "don't take pictures of our flowers".
- eli 18y ago
  The pennies in the tray are explicitly put there for you to take one. The DNS server is not there for you to avoid paying for the internet service you're using. It's a small thing, and I don't personally think it's a big deal to steal wifi, but the idea that because something is easy to steal means it's not theft is ridiculous.
  - petercooper 18y ago
    As a tort, doesn't theft require that you're taking someone else's property and depriving that person of its use? Using someone's bandwidth surreptitiously isn't really "theft" as much as it's virtual trespassing. Just because you're checking your mail doesn't stop someone else still using the connection (or even blocking you with a single click). the idea that because something is easy to steal means it's not theft is ridiculous. I'd agree with that, but I don't think it's "theft" (so my counter examples were poor, I'd admit ;-)). It's more like someone jumping in your swimming pool without permission, rather than actually stealing the water.

This sounds like stealing to me. DNS/ICMP tunneling is a clever hack, but the end result is that you are using someone else's bandwidth without paying for it.

by jgfoot 18y ago

This sounds like stealing to me. DNS/ICMP tunneling is a clever hack, but the end result is that you are using someone else's bandwidth without paying for it.

petercooper 18y ago

Sounds like making use of the generous DNS and ICMP features they're providing for free to me. "Stealing" is an overstatement for stuff like this. In the grand scheme of things it's like taking a penny from the penny tray, like plugging your computer in for power at a tech conference, like "testing" a few grapes in the grocery store, or like picking a pretty flower from a hedgerow.

tptacek 18y ago
Sounds to me like we're all getting crappy fucking DNS gateway software installed on our upstream connections. Thanks!
hedgehog 18y ago
I love security. An Apple II and two feet of floppies with an old game cracker's tools were my introduction to home computing. When I was younger I had a few adventures. So I hear where you're coming from. But this juvenile attitude of "they haven't figured out how to stop me so it must be ok" drives me nuts. Have a little integrity. Maybe it's a small thing but that doesn't make it nothing.
swombat 18y ago
It's not even really that. Unless you're really abusing that bandwidth, it was probably sitting unused anyway and would have served zero purpose if you had not used it. So it's more like taking a picture of a pretty flower in front of a sign that says "don't take pictures of our flowers".
eli 18y ago
The pennies in the tray are explicitly put there for you to take one. The DNS server is not there for you to avoid paying for the internet service you're using. It's a small thing, and I don't personally think it's a big deal to steal wifi, but the idea that because something is easy to steal means it's not theft is ridiculous.
- petercooper 18y ago
  As a tort, doesn't theft require that you're taking someone else's property and depriving that person of its use? Using someone's bandwidth surreptitiously isn't really "theft" as much as it's virtual trespassing. Just because you're checking your mail doesn't stop someone else still using the connection (or even blocking you with a single click). the idea that because something is easy to steal means it's not theft is ridiculous. I'd agree with that, but I don't think it's "theft" (so my counter examples were poor, I'd admit ;-)). It's more like someone jumping in your swimming pool without permission, rather than actually stealing the water.