https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/technology/dad-takes-down-towns-internet-by-mistake-to-get-his-kids-offline/ BleepingComputer.com logo * * * [ ] [Login] [Sign up] * * * [ ] [Login] [Sign up] * News + Featured + Latest + Hackers slip into Microsoft Teams chats to distribute malware Hackers slip into Microsoft Teams chats to distribute malware + Microsoft announces hotpatching for Windows Server Azure VMs Microsoft announces hotpatching for Windows Server Azure VMs + Hackers can crash Cisco Secure Email gateways using malicious emails Hackers can crash Cisco Secure Email gateways using malicious emails + Windows 11 gaming gets Windows 11 gaming gets "significant" latency and HDR improvements + White House pins Ukraine DDoS attacks on Russian GRU hackers White House pins Ukraine DDoS attacks on Russian GRU hackers + New Golang botnet empties Windows users' cryptocurrency wallets New Golang botnet empties Windows users' cryptocurrency wallets + Iranian hackers target VMware Horizon servers with Log4j exploits Iranian hackers target VMware Horizon servers with Log4j exploits + FCC proposes $45 million fine for health insurance robocaller FCC proposes $45 million fine for health insurance robocaller * Downloads + Latest + Most Downloaded + Qualys BrowserCheck Qualys BrowserCheck + STOPDecrypter STOPDecrypter + AuroraDecrypter AuroraDecrypter + FilesLockerDecrypter FilesLockerDecrypter + AdwCleaner AdwCleaner + ComboFix ComboFix + RKill RKill + Junkware Removal Tool Junkware Removal Tool * Virus Removal Guides + Latest + Most Viewed + Ransomware + How to remove the PBlock+ adware browser extension How to remove the PBlock+ adware browser extension + Remove the Toksearches.xyz Search Redirect Remove the Toksearches.xyz Search Redirect + Remove the Smashapps.net Search Redirect Remove the Smashapps.net Search Redirect + Remove the Smashappsearch.com Search Redirect Remove the Smashappsearch.com Search Redirect + Remove Security Tool and SecurityTool (Uninstall Guide) Remove Security Tool and SecurityTool (Uninstall Guide) + How to remove Antivirus 2009 (Uninstall Instructions) How to remove Antivirus 2009 (Uninstall Instructions) + How to Remove WinFixer / Virtumonde / Msevents / Trojan.vundo How to Remove WinFixer / Virtumonde / Msevents / Trojan.vundo + How to remove Google Redirects or the TDSS, TDL3, or Alureon rootkit using TDSSKiller How to remove Google Redirects or the TDSS, TDL3, or Alureon rootkit using TDSSKiller + Locky Ransomware Information, Help Guide, and FAQ Locky Ransomware Information, Help Guide, and FAQ + CryptoLocker Ransomware Information Guide and FAQ CryptoLocker Ransomware Information Guide and FAQ + CryptorBit and HowDecrypt Information Guide and FAQ CryptorBit and HowDecrypt Information Guide and FAQ + CryptoDefense and How_Decrypt Ransomware Information Guide and FAQ CryptoDefense and How_Decrypt Ransomware Information Guide and FAQ * Tutorials + Latest + Popular + How to make the Start menu full screen in Windows 10 How to make the Start menu full screen in Windows 10 + How to install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Runtime How to install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Runtime + How to open an elevated PowerShell Admin prompt in Windows 10 How to open an elevated PowerShell Admin prompt in Windows 10 + How to Translate a Web Page in Google Chrome How to Translate a Web Page in Google Chrome + How to start Windows in Safe Mode How to start Windows in Safe Mode + How to remove a Trojan, Virus, Worm, or other Malware How to remove a Trojan, Virus, Worm, or other Malware + How to show hidden files in Windows 7 How to show hidden files in Windows 7 + How to see hidden files in Windows How to see hidden files in Windows * Deals + Categories + eLearning eLearning + IT Certification Courses IT Certification Courses + Gear & Gadgets Gear + Gadgets + Security Security * Forums * More + Startup Database + Uninstall Database + File Database + Glossary + Chat on Discord + Send us a Tip! + Welcome Guide * Home * News * Technology * Dad takes down town's internet by mistake to get his kids offline * * Dad takes down town's internet by mistake to get his kids offline By Lawrence Abrams * February 17, 2022 * 03:51 PM * 0 Oops keyboard button A French dad faces jail time and a hefty fine after using a signal jammer to prevent his kids from going online and taking the rest of a nearby town down with them. Starting at midnight and until 3 AM every day of the week, the French town of Messanges found that their cellular and Internet service were no longer working. After a mobile carrier reported the issue to the Agence nationale des frequences (ANFR), a public agency responsible for managing the radioelectric spectrum in France, it was determined that a signal jammer was being used to block radio frequencies in the town. Graph displaying the signature of a wave jammerGraph displaying the signature of a signal jammer Source: ANFR A signal jammer is a device that transmits radio waves on the same frequency as mobile devices to prevent them from connecting to cell towers and receiving legitimate signals. A report by the ANFR explains that a technician traced the jamming signal to a house in a neighboring town, where a homeowner admitted to purchasing a jammer online and using it to force his teenage kids offline. "The explanation was disconcertingly simple: the jammer had been installed by the father of the family to prevent his teenagers from accessing the internet with their smartphone instead of falling asleep! His children had indeed become addicted to social networks and other applications, in particular since the confinement imposed due to the epidemic of Covid-19," ANFR explained in their report. "After consulting forums on the internet, the father decided that a jammer was the best solution to put an end to these excesses!" The jammer seized by ANFRThe jammer seized by ANFR Source: ANFR While it was not the father's intent to take down an entire town's Internet, using a jamming device in France is illegal and carries a penalty of up to a EUR30,000 fine and 6 months in jail. Similarly, the use of jammers is illegal in the USA and could lead to imprisonment and significant monetary fines. "The use or marketing of a jammer in the United States may subject you to substantial monetary penalties, seizure of the unlawful equipment, and criminal sanctions including imprisonment." explains an FCC enforcement alert about jamming. The ANFR reported the use of the jammer to the Public Prosecutor's office, who has seized the device and is investigating the offense. H/T Hacker Fantastic Related Articles: France hits Facebook and Google with $210 million in fines Google fined EUR220 million for abusing dominant role in online ads * France * Internet * Kids * Offline * Radio Frequency * Signal Jammer * * * * * Lawrence Abrams Lawrence Abrams is the owner and Editor in Chief of BleepingComputer.com. Lawrence's area of expertise includes Windows, malware removal, and computer forensics. Lawrence Abrams is a co-author of the Winternals Defragmentation, Recovery, and Administration Field Guide and the technical editor for Rootkits for Dummies. * Previous Article * Next Article Post a Comment Community Rules You need to login in order to post a comment [Login] Not a member yet? Register Now You may also like: [INS::INS] [Bleeping_Computer_RFL_400x500] Popular Stories * Canada Bank Phishing Attack Canada's major banks go offline in mysterious hours-long outage * Firefox Chrome Mozilla warns Chrome, Firefox '100' user agents may break sites Newsletter Sign Up To receive periodic updates and news from BleepingComputer, please use the form below. 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