Seattle PD Mum On Tracking By Its New Wi-Fi Mesh Network 107
An anonymous reader writes "The Stranger reports that Seattle's police department has installed a Wi-Fi mesh network paid for by the Department of Homeland Security. FTA: 'The SPD declined to answer more than a dozen questions from The Stranger, including whether the network is operational, who has access to its data, what it might be used for, and whether the SPD has used it (or intends to use it) to geo-locate people's devices via their MAC addresses or other identifiers.'"
changing it is a good idea regardless (Score:4, Informative)
geo-locate people's devices via their MAC addresses
If you use public wireless at all, changing your MAC is just wise, for privacy reasons.
# ifconfig eth0 hw ether
Looks like Aruba mesh network with Airwave (Score:5, Informative)
This just looks likely to be an out of the box Aruba Airwave (tracking) install on an Aruba MSR4000 mesh network. So just turn your wifi off when your not using it?
Re:Meaning (Score:0, Informative)
>> You can also turn the tables on your boogeymen by spoofing a MAC address
No, you can't, because doing so may be considered obstruction of justice. It is a crime to interfere with a police investigation. Also, taking deliberate attempts to obscure your identity to lawful police surveillance is prima facie evidence supporting probable cause to believe you are engaged or about to be engaged in criminal activity.
See US v. Haddon, where defendant attempted to obscure his identity using masks, body paint, and washable temporary car paint. While he was not the direct subject of an investigation, federal officers on other business noticed this behavior and became "interested" in him. They thought he must be up to no good, and he was ultimately convicted of obstruction because his behavior made it difficult to track him.
Re:Random Mac Address Applet (Score:4, Informative)
You used to have to do that back in the early days of home Internet around the mid 1990's. Just to register for a SLIP/PPP dial-up connection with a static IP address and hostname required proof of identity, your name, address, contact details, and you'd get this deed of ownership of the hostname.
In France they actually require ID and a copy of your passport just to get a SIM card.
Re:Looks like Aruba mesh network with Airwave (Score:4, Informative)
Install llama on your Android phone. Permit it to learn what your home environment looks like. Disable WiFi outside of the home area. That is also more trouble than many are willing to take, but if you do it once then your phone will disable WiFI for you when you go out.
Re:Looks like Aruba mesh network with Airwave (Score:4, Informative)
What you'd need to do is disable query frames. Easily enough done, but probably not the default.
When I was hacking all my neighbour's wifi just for practice to see if I could, I noticed that I could detect busses passing by. Their onboard computer queries every few seconds for the depo's ESSID.
This means that the bus is actually asking 'Are we nearly there yet?' every five seconds, like an annoying child.