A high school in New Jersey was caught in a network interference incident caused by two 14-year-old boys. According to local authorities, the two students were accused of using cell phone jammers to interfere with the school's wireless local area network (WLAN) to prevent them from taking exams.
The beginning and end of the incident can be traced back to school officials repeatedly reporting that the Wi-Fi network had crashed multiple times in just one week. Finally, on Thursday, the school decided to notify the police to intervene in the investigation. According to police spokesperson Dennis Miller, administrators at Secorx Middle School contacted the police and reported the incident to them, and the police then investigated the two students.
Principal Jennifer Montesano said in the latest statement that the Wi-Fi service has been restored to normal operation, but the investigation results showed that the two students were suspected of using cell phone scramblers to disrupt the school's network system. Although their names have not been released because they are minors, they have been released and are scheduled to appear in juvenile court in Jersey City for trial.
In an interview with NJ.com, some students revealed that they suspected that the two boys used Wi-Fi jammers to interfere with the school's routers through denial of service (DoS) attacks, causing the network system to not operate normally. This behavior not only affects the normal operation of the school and the arrangement of online exams, but also poses a potential risk to public safety, as cell phone scramblers may hinder the transmission of emergency information.
It is worth noting that cell phone scramblers are not just a misuse of technical means. They are strictly restricted and banned in the United States and other countries unless authorized by government agencies. The sale and use of these devices are generally regarded as a direct threat to the security of communication networks and public services, so relevant laws and regulations strictly restrict and control them.
Nevertheless, this incident reminds schools and communities that they must strengthen monitoring and prevention of technology abuse to ensure the safety of the school environment and the stability of academic order. At the same time, it is also particularly important to educate and guide minors to help them understand the responsibilities and impacts of technology use and avoid similar incidents from happening again.