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jayfish

(10,035 posts)
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 12:31 PM Jun 2012

SWAT team throws flashbangs, raids wrong home due to open WiFi network

Source: Ars Technica

The cops brought along TV cameras, inviting a local reporter to film the glorious operation. In the resulting video, you can watch the SWAT team, decked out in black bulletproof vests and helmets and carrying window and door smashers, creep slowly up to the house. At some point, they apparently "knock" and announce their presence—though not with the goal of getting anyone to come to the door. As the local police chief admitted later to the Evansville Courier & Press, the process is really just “designed to distract." (SWAT does not need to wait for a response.)

Officers break the screen door and a window, tossing a flashbang into the house—which you can see explode in the video. A second flashbang gets tossed in for good measure a moment later. SWAT enters the house.

On the news that night, the reporter ends his piece by talking about how this is "an investigation that hits home for many of these brave officers."

But the family in the home was released without any charges as police realized their mistake. Turns out the home had an open WiFi router, and the threats had been made by someone outside the house. Whoops.

Read more: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/06/swat-team-throws-flashbangs-raids-wrong-home-due-to-open-



Our police state at work.
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SWAT team throws flashbangs, raids wrong home due to open WiFi network (Original Post) jayfish Jun 2012 OP
Here are more articles on this problem. Dawson Leery Jun 2012 #1
REIN, not reign. I don't mean to be a poop, but there's a huge difference in the meaning. MADem Jun 2012 #7
typo....will correct. Dawson Leery Jun 2012 #12
Thanks for indulging my somewhat neurotic noodginess! It's appreciated! nt MADem Jun 2012 #15
Poop? cartach Jun 2012 #55
Well, your opinion is noted. nt MADem Jun 2012 #56
Tyranny clang1 Jun 2012 #2
Why exactly does piffle like this require a SWAT team in the first place? bemildred Jun 2012 #3
Why are AMERICAN police FORCES clang1 Jun 2012 #6
They've watched 'Brazil' too many times: muriel_volestrangler Jun 2012 #9
LOL. Perfect. nt bemildred Jun 2012 #13
Some jurisdictions are billing people who are arrested for their arrest and incarceration now. Pab Sungenis Jun 2012 #19
Paying for the "service". bemildred Jun 2012 #31
Not only "charging" but confiscating assets too. xtraxritical Jun 2012 #37
Apparently not permatex Jun 2012 #18
Because the cops get fun, high tech toys from DHS every year Blue_Tires Jun 2012 #38
In full SWAT force, with reporters and cameras invited along. But tblue37 Jun 2012 #43
Yep, show biz, got to follow the script. bemildred Jun 2012 #44
They don't need the cameras for that. Mother ran over to my brother's house and opened the door. ieoeja Jun 2012 #47
Oh for crying out loud! tblue Jun 2012 #4
WTF? permatex Jun 2012 #5
Tyranny clang1 Jun 2012 #11
When good cops protect bad cops... awoke_in_2003 Jun 2012 #32
Good point permatex Jun 2012 #36
Yeah, the average person thinks they have "rights" until they're forced to use a public defender. xtraxritical Jun 2012 #41
RE: WTF? gmpierce Jun 2012 #46
Gee ...good thing no one got killed ...but that is always a posibility ain't it? L0oniX Jun 2012 #8
This is a good example of why everyone needs to secure their WiFi network. drm604 Jun 2012 #10
This is why you should think twice about using WiFi for home networks. bemildred Jun 2012 #14
Every router has Wifi in it nowadays. Pab Sungenis Jun 2012 #17
WiFi capable routers are more expensive, retail loves that. bemildred Jun 2012 #20
I know it's possible. Pab Sungenis Jun 2012 #22
Yeah, I have a couple old ones laying around, and my current router is WiFi as it happens. bemildred Jun 2012 #30
I prefer wired connections. Pab Sungenis Jun 2012 #35
I agree with you but I leave my wireless network open Mosby Jun 2012 #29
Try FreeBC Jun 2012 #51
Lax wireless security kills, kids. Pab Sungenis Jun 2012 #16
Mine says WPA2-PSK permatex Jun 2012 #21
as long as your key isn't 12345 Roland99 Jun 2012 #25
I'm pretty computer stupid permatex Jun 2012 #27
extensive doesn't necessarily mean "good", though Occulus Jun 2012 #58
I used different quotes from different books and ran them together permatex Jun 2012 #59
Very good. Pab Sungenis Jun 2012 #26
Very strong permatex Jun 2012 #28
Having an open Wifi network isn't a crime. boppers Jun 2012 #60
Typical asshole cops gopiscrap Jun 2012 #23
Just being the best they can be. raouldukelives Jun 2012 #24
Did I read right? The front door was open? caroll31 Jun 2012 #33
People NEED to UNDERSTAND clang1 Jun 2012 #34
One might think that were this indeed a Tyranny LanternWaste Jun 2012 #39
ALL Matters of Degree clang1 Jun 2012 #45
Yup, just like the colonists in North America. ieoeja Jun 2012 #48
People had BETTER Learn it Quickly n/t clang1 Jun 2012 #53
I assumed they meant unlocked Nevernose Jun 2012 #57
Re: the EPD's homepage.... It would be bad to see a lower standard of performance.... xocet Jun 2012 #40
fuck tha police frylock Jun 2012 #42
Here's the bozos: AnotherMcIntosh Jun 2012 #49
Business as usual FreeBC Jun 2012 #50
What a coincedence,I just got my hotmail account locked from I suppose someone else using it. athenasatanjesus Jun 2012 #52
Doh! Rain Mcloud Jun 2012 #54
I recall the scene from Schindler's list... Javaman Jun 2012 #61

MADem

(135,425 posts)
7. REIN, not reign. I don't mean to be a poop, but there's a huge difference in the meaning.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 12:43 PM
Jun 2012

When you reign, you are a ruler, a king, a queen. An appropriate use of that word phrase is "Queen Elizabeth's reign in the last century was as successful as it is in this century."

Reins are the things that you use to ensure the horse goes where you want it to go. You "rein in" the horse to stop it from running all over hell.

It's one of those "nails on the chalkboard" things for me...sorry!

bemildred

(90,061 posts)
3. Why exactly does piffle like this require a SWAT team in the first place?
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 12:41 PM
Jun 2012

Is nobody on the police force willing to talk to people before throwing grenades at them?

 

clang1

(884 posts)
6. Why are AMERICAN police FORCES
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 12:42 PM
Jun 2012

more MILITARIZED then the MILITARIES of Some Countries? TYRANNY.


SEE IT FOR WHAT IT IS. RECOGNIZE IT. TYRANNY. CALL IT THAT BECAUSE THE FOUNDING FATHERS CALLED IT THAT. IT IS WHY WE ARE HERE.


SEE THE PROGRESSION WITH YOUR OWN TWO EYES.









Meanwhile....The Progression continues....


 

Pab Sungenis

(9,612 posts)
19. Some jurisdictions are billing people who are arrested for their arrest and incarceration now.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 01:28 PM
Jun 2012

Gilliam and McKeown were very prescient.

Especially in the director's cut where you're left wondering whether there really are any terrorists.

 

permatex

(1,299 posts)
18. Apparently not
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 01:27 PM
Jun 2012

The cops have a shoot first ask questions mentality now and they know that they will be ruled justified. We the people really need to rein in the cops and demand that they be held accountable for their actions. I have cops in my family who have a us against them attitude and we go round and round all the time.

Blue_Tires

(55,445 posts)
38. Because the cops get fun, high tech toys from DHS every year
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 02:36 PM
Jun 2012

and need to find justifications to use them...

tblue37

(64,979 posts)
43. In full SWAT force, with reporters and cameras invited along. But
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 03:08 PM
Jun 2012

according to the article, the house that was SWATted was occupied by an 18-year-old watching TV—and the front door wasopen! There was no need to do anything but walk right in--with no flashbangs at all, much less two of them.

bemildred

(90,061 posts)
44. Yep, show biz, got to follow the script.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 03:20 PM
Jun 2012

Don't want the news guys to be disappointed after you spent all that money on the raid.

 

ieoeja

(9,748 posts)
47. They don't need the cameras for that. Mother ran over to my brother's house and opened the door.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 05:33 PM
Jun 2012

With her standing there holding the door wide fucking open, they went to another door and tried** breaking it down.

With my brother at work and on the phone with them, they broke in.

With my brother at work and on the phone with them telling them the combination to the gun safe, they drilled through it anyway.

These cops are nucking futs.



** "Tried", because the door in question was actually screwed shut and had furniture in front of it because nobody used that door. They did manage to knock some holes in the door before discovering that my mother was telling them the truth.

tblue

(16,350 posts)
4. Oh for crying out loud!
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 12:41 PM
Jun 2012

Oh for crying out loud! Those poor people. Rustled up and arrested for nothing. Can they sue? I hope so.

 

permatex

(1,299 posts)
5. WTF?
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 12:42 PM
Jun 2012

Cops in this country have waaaaaaaaaay to much power and don't give a shit about the average citizen anymore. I realize most cops are good cops but the rogue ones are giving them a bad name and fuckups like this don't help their cause or image. And it's getting harder and harder to rein in or fire the bad ones.
And now most Depts. are dressing like commandos and have military equipment? And they wonder why they are viewed with deep suspicion.

 

xtraxritical

(3,576 posts)
41. Yeah, the average person thinks they have "rights" until they're forced to use a public defender.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 02:42 PM
Jun 2012

By this time they are completely shocked by the cost of an defense and are "coerced" to take the deal. Plus, they make you sign a paper saying you were not coerced. The system, just like Congress, is based on coercion.

drm604

(16,230 posts)
10. This is a good example of why everyone needs to secure their WiFi network.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 12:54 PM
Jun 2012

I'm not excusing the police, this was unforgivable, but why do people leave their WiFi open?

People can use an open WiFi network for all sorts of illegal things and cause you all kinds of problems. Even if the police had acted properly, they still could have come in with a warrant, confiscated the computer equipment, etc.

Secure your WiFi people!

bemildred

(90,061 posts)
14. This is why you should think twice about using WiFi for home networks.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 01:09 PM
Jun 2012

But securing them would help, yes.

 

Pab Sungenis

(9,612 posts)
17. Every router has Wifi in it nowadays.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 01:26 PM
Jun 2012

Or just about every consumer grade one. People who aren't using their Wifi forget to lock it down sometimes.

And it's not just consumers, either. I was at our local DMV last week and both the DMV and the non-profit educational foundation next door had wide-open wifi networks my phone picked up on.

bemildred

(90,061 posts)
20. WiFi capable routers are more expensive, retail loves that.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 01:29 PM
Jun 2012

But it is far from true that you cannot find a cheap wire router or hub. Probably real cheap second hand.

 

Pab Sungenis

(9,612 posts)
22. I know it's possible.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 01:31 PM
Jun 2012

I have a few of them in my network. I have one Wifi access point (locked down like hell) for my laptop and our phones, but it's behind a firewall from the rest of the network.

And I never build an enterprise network for someone with wireless.

bemildred

(90,061 posts)
30. Yeah, I have a couple old ones laying around, and my current router is WiFi as it happens.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 01:46 PM
Jun 2012

First thing I did of course was turn WiFi off and configure the modem and router from a Linux box.

I'm just saying that if you are serious about security, you go wired, which removes the whole problem, although less convenient. And if you are not serious about security, you can expect to be hacked eventually. There was a story around here about how long you can have a Windoze box on the net before it gets probed for hackability, something under an hour it was.

The one time I got hacked (a file transfer worm) was installing a Windoze box and accidentally leaving it connected to the web while I was patching it up. Which points out an interesting problem, how is one to get a patched up copy of windows without connecting to the web and risking infection?

 

Pab Sungenis

(9,612 posts)
35. I prefer wired connections.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 02:21 PM
Jun 2012

Not only is it more secure, but much faster. I have no qualms about moving large files across a Gigabit connection wired, but would wince if I had to move them wirelessly to my laptop (which only has 802.11g). Even with n wired is faster.

Mosby

(16,162 posts)
29. I agree with you but I leave my wireless network open
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 01:40 PM
Jun 2012

because when I try to password protect the network I can't get any device to log on. I'm stumped and not going to spend money on something like this. Someone even gave me a wireless-n router to replace my wireless-b but I tried to install that and can't even get it to work in open mode, oh well.

 

FreeBC

(403 posts)
51. Try
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 07:14 PM
Jun 2012

Is your router in mixed mode? It could be set to just G or just B. Set it to mixed mode (both B and G) if you have both B and G devices.

Try setting it to WEP mode. This is not really secure, but useful for troubleshooting. If you can connect in WEP mode, then try WPA. This is more secure than WEP. If you can connect in WPA, try WPA2. Now you know whether you can't get any device to log on, or if you can't get certain devices to log on at certain security levels.

Also, if you are using a passphrase, try a different one. I once couldn't get devices to connect to a wireless network until I changed the password from a password that started with a number to a password that started with a text character.

 

permatex

(1,299 posts)
27. I'm pretty computer stupid
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 01:36 PM
Jun 2012

so I'm assuming the key is my passphrase. If so, then I should be pretty safe as I have a pretty extensive passphrase.

Occulus

(20,599 posts)
58. extensive doesn't necessarily mean "good", though
Fri Jun 29, 2012, 09:02 AM
Jun 2012

Adding numbers, special characters like "^" or """ or ",", and capital letters in unusual places all add security to a password. Avoiding dictionary words of any kind and dates personal to you also helps a great deal.

 

permatex

(1,299 posts)
59. I used different quotes from different books and ran them together
Fri Jun 29, 2012, 11:09 AM
Jun 2012

Is that good? Or should I change it to what you described? Any tips would be very appreciated.
Thanks

boppers

(16,588 posts)
60. Having an open Wifi network isn't a crime.
Fri Jun 29, 2012, 11:22 AM
Jun 2012

It's a neighborly gesture.

Kind of like allowing the neighborhood kids to play on your lawn.

gopiscrap

(23,674 posts)
23. Typical asshole cops
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 01:31 PM
Jun 2012

we as a spciety have caused this by glorifying the cops with out requiring any real accountablity

raouldukelives

(5,178 posts)
24. Just being the best they can be.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 01:31 PM
Jun 2012

Luckily one of those flashbangs didn't land on a kid but if one did they would still be celebrated as heroes and it would be a sad but unavoidable circumstance of pursuing the ever present and vastly increasing network of criminals who run lose on the streets of America. Always coming up with new ways to target the least among us and profit off of their naivete. Stealing billions of dollars to further expand their criminal empire and. Oh wait, that's Wall St. Never mind.

 

caroll31

(20 posts)
33. Did I read right? The front door was open?
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 01:58 PM
Jun 2012

"They then sent an entire SWAT unit to execute a search warrant on a local house, one in which the front door was open and an 18-year old woman sat inside watching TV."

 

clang1

(884 posts)
34. People NEED to UNDERSTAND
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 02:02 PM
Jun 2012

Last edited Thu Jun 28, 2012, 02:45 PM - Edit history (6)

That in TYRANNY, There are only THUGS and the PEOPLE.

THESE ARE THUGS. SEE IT FOR WHAT IT IS. CALL IT THAT. THIS WAS A MILITARY FORCE UNLEASHED UPON INNOCENT CIVILIANS.

CALL IT WHAT IT IS. PEOPLE BETTER,,, BECAUSE WE ARE ALL NEXT IN LINE FOR THIS. ALL OF US ARE, JUST AS YOU HAVE SEEN HAPPEN, RIGHT HERE NOW, RIGHT NOW.

NEXT, CONSIDER THE PATRIOT ACT. I HOPE THAT I DO NOT NEED TO SAY ANY MORE.

SEE WITH YOUR OWN EYES, OPEN THEM. UNLESS THIS IS CHANGED, IT WILL CONTINUE, IT MUST CONTINUE, IT IS HOW THE WORLD WORKS. SO IT NEEDS TO BE STOPPED.




















Meanwhile.....The Progression continues....

 

LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)
39. One might think that were this indeed a Tyranny
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 02:40 PM
Jun 2012

One might think that were this indeed a Tyranny, we wouldn't have the means to report it, discuss it, nor criticize it.

 

clang1

(884 posts)
45. ALL Matters of Degree
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 03:23 PM
Jun 2012

it is the way that it works. PERIOD.

Look at what I wrote below. Don't you SEE the Progression With Your Own Two Eyes? This is how the World works. Things Progress in it when they are not Stopped. This is also Nature. UNDERSTAND THAT.

I WILL SAY IT AGAIN EVEN: This is the Nature of TYRANNY.

SMELL IT THE SAME AS PEOPLE SMELL A PRETTY FLOWER IF YOU ENJOY THE SMELL OF IT.

















Meanwhile.....The Progression continues...

 

ieoeja

(9,748 posts)
48. Yup, just like the colonists in North America.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 05:38 PM
Jun 2012

Oh, wait. I'm not sure this post makes any "Common Sense".


xocet

(3,870 posts)
40. Re: the EPD's homepage.... It would be bad to see a lower standard of performance....
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 02:41 PM
Jun 2012
Welcome

On behalf of the 286 sworn officers and 31 civilian employees of the Evansville Police Department, we welcome you to our official website.

We pledge to provide each citizen of Evansville the highest standard of performance.

...

http://www.evansvillepolice.com/

http://www.evansvillepolice.com/contact

athenasatanjesus

(859 posts)
52. What a coincedence,I just got my hotmail account locked from I suppose someone else using it.
Thu Jun 28, 2012, 08:14 PM
Jun 2012

Must be a sign that I need stronger passwords.

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