Want to hitch a ride on another person’s inadequately secured internet connection - well, guess what, there’s an App for that...

Seems that iPhone App “Dessid” (€1.59, local prices vary) exploits a flaw that’s seemingly specific to Irish broadband users on the Eircom network.

Now, that flaw’s been repaired, but still 50 per cent of Eircom customers are using equipment that possess the problem. The problem occurs because each wireless network broadcasts a unique eight-digit code as its network name. That’s reasonable - what isn’t so reasonable is that the default password to the network is also derived from these eight digits. And, let’s face it, many users just don’t understand how to make their network more secure.

Step in Dessid, which scans for available wireless networks. When a user chooses an Eircom network that’s using the default settings, the password is displayed almost instantly. And the developer of the app sells it as a way for users to recover their password in the event of loss. He says it’s “obvious” the software could also be used to access another’s connection. Which is fine - up to a point...

Look, you know the score: The secretly discussed internatinal copyright agreement that’s currently being thrashed out at high levels of international governments seems to be dominated by the music copyright lobby. All the talk of three strikes rules in which file-sharers (even accused file-sharers - the right to protest at such accusations has still not been agreed) are knocked off the internet is going to cause problems.

It means that at some time in the future when the retarded music industry and its bevy of overpaid government lobbyists get their way and people accused of file-sharing one too many times get “kicked off of the internetz” you’ll see a tidal wave of users parking up outside your Mum’s house to use her inadequately secured WiFi connection to go get their music....

(Hint to the lawmen - this measure is punitive, ineffective, and will cause innocent people to be punished for other people’s ‘crimes’).

Zip back to Ireland, and a survey from consultants Deloitte found that 63 per cent of Eircom networks that broadcast the eight-digit network name have not upgraded their security. This means up to 250,000 home networks could be accessed using the app.

While this seems a particularly Irish problem, we’re pretty certain blinkered copyright protection laws will make problems like this commonplace, as backward-thinking luddites dominate the legislative maze.