War-Driving

Background Information
In order to beginning to understand what War-Driving is, some understanding needs to be explained. Wireless networking is a fairly new technology which is being used all over the world. Both home users and business alike are using wireless technology. Using wireless technology lets computer users connect to the Internet and to their network without being restricted by cables.

Pros of wireless networks
- Users may connect to Internet and their network without using cables
Users could be nine-hundred feet or more away from an access point which enables connectivity
Cons of wireless networks
Its a new technology and still in the infancy stage.
Security of knowledge on network might be compromised

War-driving
War-driving is a process which an individual uses a wireless device such as a laptop or PDA to drive around looking for wireless networks. Some many people do this as a hobby and map out different wireless networks which the find. Other all the people, who might be considered hackers, will look for wireless networks and then break into the networks. If a wireless is not secure, it may be fairly easy to break into the network and obtain confidential information. Even with security, hackers can break the security and hack.

War-chalking
War-chalking is a method, usually using chalk, to display knowledge on wireless networks. War-driving is usually the method used to search for networks, and then the human will mark a network with chalk that gives understanding about the network. Some of the information would incorporate, what the network name is, whether the network has security, and possibly the personal contact data of who owns the network.

Ethical Issues
As described above, war-chalking is a method or service to assist all the people in finding something, an Internet connection.

When looking at the ethical issues, three main questions come to mind:
-Is it theft?
-Is it harmful?
-Is it stoppable?

Is it theft?
According to webster.com theft is clear-cut as: the felonious grasping and removing of personal property with intent to deprive the rightful owner of it.

While war-chalking and war-driving activities identify and mark wireless networks, they are not removing or depriving the owner of his/her wireless connectivity.

Is it harmful?
I do not believe its harmful, you arent possibly harming anything by war-chalking. War-chalking is only a process of identifying networks. It would be like going around a neighborhood and somehow creating marks on public property identifying if a house has a deadbolt installed or not.

Is it stoppable?
Owners of wireless networks can modify their equipment so war-drivers cannot find their wireless networks.

Conclusion
War-driving and war-chalking are new activities that technology advanced all the people are doing for a hobby. While no laws are in place to contruct war-chalking illegal, maybe someday there will be.

References

1.http://www.warchalking.com
2.http://www.wardriving.info
3.http://www.webster.com