Members of the BuzzBlog Brigade were asked to weigh in on the notion of private property owners being required by regulation or law to secure their wireless networks. Here’s what Fuat Baran had to say:
Regarding the wireless security question, is the hotel/condo providing the Internet connectivity? Or do they want to apply those restrictions to residents who privately obtain a DSL/cable connection for their own unit and plug a wireless router into it?
If the building is providing a communal network service, they have some right to impose acceptable use policies and security requirements to prevent non-residents from using the bandwidth paid for by the building. Also, in the event of a crime committed using their facilities they may have some liability, or at the very least burden to aid law enforcement agencies in the investigation, thus imposing “safe computing” standards is not unreasonable.
If the latter (private network, private equipment), I don’t think they have any business enforcing security requirements as it would not affect the building’s interests.
— Fuat Baran
