[Blog] Lifetime's Free WiFi Access for US$35!

Sept 3, 2009 00:00 Keith Chan, Nikkei Electronics Asia

"For Rmb250 (US$35), you can have free WiFi access for a lifetime!" Sounds too good to be true? That's exactly what's promised by Gsky-Link, a factory in Guangzhou in southern China. The company's flagship product, the "Card King" Gsky-Link GS-27USB, looks like an ordinary USB external WiFi adapter, but is claimed to enable the user to access the Internet for free through any of the WiFi access points available in the neighborhood. But wait a minute! Isn't that illegal? Of course it is, but that would seem to be the least of the company's concerns -- and perhaps many of the product's users aren't so worried about it either.

So, what's the magic inside the box? Some eye-catching marketing speak on the company's website promises: "The best companion for notebook PC. Once you owned it, you can get free Internet access forever, any time any place!!!" Not just that, but: "Forget the data limit of your mobile phone, and walk freely in China. A dream comes true forever!!!"

A quick glance at the specifications of Card King, which measures 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.8cm and weighs 58g, reveals that the device is powered by a wireless LAN network interface controller with a USB 2.0 interface made by a well-known Taiwanese manufacturer, and is equipped with a 5dbi antenna. What's so special about that? Nothing¡Ä

The "magic" apparently comes from the CDs that are bundled with the device, one of which includes something called "BT3/BT4" software, which comes with an instruction booklet. The company does not provide any details about what BT3/BT4 is, but a check on the Internet suggests that it is short for "Backtrack versions 3 and 4", the self-executable Linux distributions for penetration testing. The software includes tools favored by hackers, particularly those for cracking the WEB or WPA encryption of a WiFi access point.

So, now the secret is out! All the company does is bundle an ordinary WiFi adapter with software that allows the user to hack into other people's poorly-encrypted access points.

To the manufacturer, this may just be a gimmick for boosting sales -- a tactic which is not too uncommon in China, where making a quick buck is the main goal of many businesses. But users beware! There is a price to pay for using such a product. According to an official with the Shanghai Consumer Protection Bureau, anyone caught using this kind of device is liable to prosecution because, under China's Telecommunications Regulations (paragraph 59; article 2), obtaining illegal access to someone else's communications line (likely including for Internet access) is an offense. So there is really no free lunch in this world!

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