The Google street view cars have been causing a bit of a fuss as it turns out they were collecting information on wireless networks as they went along. In this BBC News story it was hyperbolically described as ‘one of the biggest wire tapping scandals in US history’.  I’m guessing that Google were possibly collecting information about how many networks there are and how many are open so they could overlay hotspot information onto their maps. Anything else that got picked up would have been incidental, random and not wanted.
If there is a scandal here surely it is this:
It found that Congresswoman Jane Harman, who heads the intelligence sub committee for the House’s Homeland Security Committee, has an open home network that could have leaked out vital information that could have been picked up by Street View vehicles.
Somebody involved in an intelligence committee has an unsecured home network?  Yes, vital information could have been picked up by the Google car during the few minutes it was in the area, but also by the neighbours or any interested party who decidded to park up in a van for a day or two.
Bet it has encryption now.
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