Maybe OT: Network ethics

From: Tothwolf <tothwolf_at_concentric.net>
Date: Sat Feb 2 22:38:59 2002

On Sat, 2 Feb 2002, Doc wrote:

> I guess my opinion, which isn't very popular here, is that unless
> permission has been explicitly given, one should not assume permission
> to a local LAN, or internet access through the LAN. I do recognize
> that my position is due to working frequently at secured sites. One
> such facility, in San Antonio, prohibits ANY access to their network
> by non-employees. Contractors must tell a technician what commands to
> enter, and which buttons to click.

Of course, there is a conceptually simple way to prevent 99.9% of people
from accessing a lan in this kind of situation. Wire the wall-mounted RJ45
jacks to use the normally unused pairs for TX/RX, and use custom made
patch cables to connect to the computer's NIC. For some ultra-secure type
site, wiring the other two pairs to detect a connection, and or to deliver
48VDC (from a spare telephone switch supply) would deter all but the most
determined.

-Toth
Received on Sat Feb 02 2002 - 22:38:59 GMT