German Court Determines Unprotected Wireless Networks a Threat

Is your wireless network password protected? If you live in Germany and the answer is no, you could be facing a hefty fine. According to a ZDnet blog, a recent ruling by Germany’s top criminal court determined those who leave a wireless network unprotected can be fined as much as 100 euros or roughly $127 dollars.

The ruling is in response to a lawsuit between a musician and a user whose unprotected wireless network was used for downloading and sharing music over P2P. The court said users are obligated to check whether or not their wireless connection is adequately secured to the danger of unauthorized third parties abusing it to commit copyright violation.

While the ruling may set out to protect certain individuals, ZDnet believes it misses the point. After all, it doesn’t emphasize the importance of strong passwords and doesn’t expect users to constantly update the security of their wireless networks. By ignoring the power of encryption protocol, the ruling merely puts a Band-Aid on what it considers to be a gushing wound.