Would you give the government remote control over your router?

[lotuseclat79]

Would you give the government remote control over your router?.

Proposed “emergency switch” would turn private routers into public resource.

-- Tom

[PaulyDefran]

Well, since it's Germany, and I don't live there, they can do whatever they can get through the legislature there. Although, I'm sure Germans pay taxes, so what is all the tax money going for? No emergency communications? I'd also be the first one to flash DD-WRT, etc.. if I were a citizen not already running alternate firmware. I'll be the callous one: I don't care if I could "save lives" (a popular, but dubious statement by those in power)...it's not my job. Point me to the last time "lives were lost" because of no router access and I'll look at the issue again. They should switch to saying "children's lives"...that always seems to get worthless legislation through. What's more likely: abuse, or saving lives? Weren't the Germans the ones installing malware at the airports? I vote NO.

PD

[Dark Shadow]

Only At Gun Point.

[TheWindBringeth]

No? But it is for your own safety and that of your fellow citizens! Think of the children! The helpless animals! Do it for those brave first responders! DO IT FOR YOUR COUNTRY!

[noone_particular]

The abuse is already built into the proposal. Access to a router and control over it are 2 completely different things. One can have access to a router without having control over it. Access during an emergency I've give them. Control, no. Control could will be misused to give them access to the PCs behind those routers. I don't see where they'd need this anyway, for "emergency uses". They already have more than one way to get access to communications. Phones can make their own wifi now. If something could disable all of their access, chances are ours would be down too. I can't imagine even an unlikely instance where this would be necessary or beneficial "in an emergency". It's more likely that this would be used for spying, remote access, for tracking copyrighted material distribution, etc.

It wouldn't do them much good here to try that. Nothing I use has wireless capabilities, save the ISPs modem/router. Even if they pushed such an update through my ISP, it would gain them nothing. Not only is wireless disabled on the modem, I removed the antenna and attached a ground wire in its place. Nothing they do to that modem/router will get them access to my PCs. Smoothwall sits between them with UPnP disabled. I don't care what excuse, reason, logic they come up with to justify it. There will be no wireless or remote access to anything in this house.

[mirimir]

Originally Posted by noone_particular

... Not only is wireless disabled on the modem, I removed the antenna and attached a ground wire in its place. ...

Wow, that's hard core! I am in awe

[CloneRanger]

Originally Posted by noone_particular

I removed the antenna and attached a ground wire in its place

Hilarious & good thinking

But it depends on the length of that cable ! If it's more than a few inches it's "possible it "could" still transmit. At the very high frequencies they use, it "can" still appear as a ligit load/antenna, & not a short circuit. Not as efficient as a properly designed one, but non the less "possible" to transmit "some" distance. I would consider shorting out the antenna output pin nearest to the last component pin it comes from, to the closest ground pin nearby on the PCB, by soldering the shortest piece of Insulated wire between them.

[funkydude]

To quote the editors pick:

Answer: perhaps. If it was voluntary, open source, properly implemented, and rewarded me, then I'd certainly consider it. In theory, a proper scheme would cause no security risk and minimal to zero interference with the owner's network use. With the proper incentives (like a tax credit for signing up and use) and if the system remained under the owner's control then I think it could work out quite well and wouldn't be particularly prone to abuse at all. The components are all there, and in principle it's not that hard to implement.

Of course, on the flipside it would be possible to get the whole thing wrong, and try to mandate it, or make ultimate control not rest with the owner, or have the implementation be terrible. In that case I'd 100% oppose it (and I don't see how they could possibly make it happen anyway at this point).

However, their heart seems to be in the right place here and it seems feasible to do it correctly and get a good benefit with little to no risk. It's absolutely at least worth investigating.

[noone_particular]

Originally Posted by CloneRanger

But it depends on the length of that cable ! If it's more than a few inches it's "possible it "could" still transmit. At the very high frequencies they use, it "can" still appear as a ligit load/antenna, & not a short circuit. Not as efficient as a properly designed one, but non the less "possible" to transmit "some" distance. I would consider shorting out the antenna output pin nearest to the last component pin it comes from, to the closest ground pin nearby on the PCB, by soldering the shortest piece of Insulated wire between them.

Interesting thought. The wire is barely a foot long and connects to the same ground as the surge protector, which is mounted right under it on the wall. From there it's straight down to an earthen ground. It might not be perfect but I can't imagine it having much range at all.

I can't do the internal mods you mention. Modem physically belongs to my ISP, but they don't have control of it.

[mirimir]

Originally Posted by CloneRanger

But it depends on the length of that cable ! If it's more than a few inches it's "possible it "could" still transmit.

It would help to use coax, I think.

[TheWindBringeth]

Originally Posted by noone_particular

Modem physically belongs to my ISP, but they don't have control of it.

This sounds like an integrated modem & wireless router. Have you considered asking them for a vanilla modem or using your own?

[noone_particular]

Originally Posted by TheWindBringeth

This sounds like an integrated modem & wireless router. Have you considered asking them for a vanilla modem or using your own?

It is. I've had 3 of their regular modems fail in the last few years. Not in any hurry to see another one. The wireless is no big deal as long as it can be disabled. Eventually I want to get my own.

[CloneRanger]

Originally Posted by noone_particular

It might not be perfect but I can't imagine it having much range at all.

As you've disabled it in software, it "should" be fine anyway.

I can't do the internal mods you mention. Modem physically belongs to my ISP, but they don't have control of it.

OK. Just thought i'd mention it, as others viewing "might" be able to use this idea

Originally Posted by mirimir

It would help to use coax, I think

.

You might expect that. But surprisingly, a length of coax shorted at the end, "can" act as an aerial It depends on the type of coax, length, frequency.