Legal Challenges Posed by Wi-Fi Networks

• Author: Maxim Dobrinoiu, Iustin Priescu
• Pages: 572-579

Maxim Dobrinoiu. Lecturer, Ph.D., „Nicolae Titulescu” University, Bucharest (e-mail: office@e-crime.ro).

Iustin Priescu. Lecturer, Ph.D., „Titu Maiorescu” University, Bucharest.

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Introduction to Wi-Fi concepts

Nowadays, the electronic communications services market is in full development, and this trend cannot be diminished even by the newly emerged world economic crisis. Regardless the country in question or the rank comparing to other states, studies show a significant growth in world people’s interest in Information Society (IS) services, with a strong emphasize on the mobility of the resources.

The Internet has become more than a „network of networks”, but a way of life, and the addiction of the users for computer systems and electronic services often highlights interesting aspects, but controversial in the same time.

Right now, assuming the inevitable exceptions, we could launch an analysis based on the following facts:

1. Users are more and more interested in Information Society services. Beyond the simple connection to Internet, a large number of the socio-economic segments of life acknowledge a significant development in cyberspace (for example, electronic commerce, e-banking, e-payment, e-media, e-petition and so forth);

2. Users continue to migrate to a larger extent towards mobile equipments and „wireless technology”. Electronic consumer markets is oriented mainly to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled electronic devices, while the selling of smartphones, PDAs and Notebooks providing Internet connectivity is beyond any expectation;

3. Users prefer, more and more, the wireless connectivity. The entire world is in a continuous movement, and time seems to compress day by day. Even if we are talking about keeping in touch with business partners, friends or family members through VoIP connections, about reading electronic mail messages, reading of the online newspapers or magazines, findingPage 573 out the forecast, realizing financial transactions (e-banking, e-payment or stock exchange) or just browsing for news or information, people uses a large scale of performing or state-of-the-art electronic devices which assure the much needed level of mobility and connectivity;

4. Although the costs have diminished significantly, people often consider different ways to connect to Internet without paying. Ordinary citizens, businessmen, students or employed, young or elder, men or women, we are altogether tempted to enjoy benefitting from a costless service. The same satisfaction we come across in what regards the Internet connection or the access to electronic communications services, although telecom operators or providers offer now a large scale of subscription possibilities or attractive tariffs;

5. For security reasons or just to hide certain actions or behaviour, more users are really fascinated by the possibility of masking their own activity or identity while in cyberspace. To realize such „own security” today there could be found various technical means or ways facilitating the anonymizing of the Internet browsing, hiding the identity of an email sender or the location of a certain electronic terminal which initiates a cyber attack. Apart from using the well-known Proxy Servers or Spoofing methods, anonymous connection to Wi-Fi Access Points is by far the newest and dangerous one, providing the type of electronic environment hackers are searching for.

Wi-Fi Architecture and Security

Wi-Fi¹ is the word the IT specialists use to define IEEE 802.11 Protocol, while the large public identify nowadays, technologically or commercially, the wireless access to Information Society services. In other words, is about the wireless-enabled electronic devices to connect to Internet through so-called Wi-Fi Access Points in order to get hold of electronic communications services.

According to IEEE 802.11 standard specifications, the logical architecture of a Wi-Fi network consists of various components, like: a Station (STA) which connects to a wireless Access Point (AP), a Set of Internet Base Services (BSS), the services’ Distribution System (DS), as well as an Extended Set of Services (SSE).

The Access Points (known also as Hotspots, Wireless Routers or IP Routers) are those electronic devices which receive the Internet signal from a Internet Service Provider (via a cable link) and distribute it as electromagnetic emission (radio broadcast) in a certain cover area (based on the strength of the signal and the existence of the electronic disturbances), from 1 to 100 m. The Wireless Access Point runs as bridge between the Wi-Fi-enabled Stations (STA) and the classic Local Area Network – which usually provide the Internet connection or services.

The assembly resulted following the connection of one or more Wireless Stations (according to IEEE 802.11 Standard) to an Access Point (AP) is called Wi-Fi Network or WLAN.

The connection of the Wireless Stations to the IP Router could be done:

- Freely, without requesting the authentication of the client in order to use the available Internet services

- Protected, for limiting the use of Internet services to the authenticated (accepted) users by implementing various security protocols and encryption procedures

Aside from the advantages of their implementation (e.g. mobility, reduced costs, flexibility, ubiquity and so), Wi-Fi networks also poses various disadvantages, such as: low quality ofPage 574 communication, high energy consumption, electromagnetic pollution, rather weak security of communication etc.

Wireless networks are relatively less secure than the cable ones, due to the much easier way to connect of the unauthorized users present in the...