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Hacking?

Alan54
Grafter
Posts: 26
Thanks: 2
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎07-03-2018

Hacking?

Hi there. To cut a long story short.....before Xmas I became aware that my new neighbours in the flat above had hacked my plusnet router.....during the night all the lights including wifi flashing away when I had no connections and  presumably they thought I was asleep.

I turned off wifi and bought a BT Hub 6 and am now using that with wifi disabled to stop them hacking. The other day as I was entering my flat a girl stormed out of the door to the flat above saw me and shouted "watch what you do on your laptop coz they can see everything" and she stormed off looking upset. This has naturally left me really paranoid.

The question is if my phone line is connected to the flat above in some sort of old  BT 'party line' is it actually possible for them to receive my internet connection and so through any old router, see what I'm doing on my laptop and scarily be able to hack my router through the connected phone line? 

7 REPLIES 7
Bogbody
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 181
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Registered: ‎23-02-2020

Re: Hacking?

Now - the question is "how did they get the wifi password" ?
Can your router be seen through a window? There is/was a password set?
Were you using a brand of router with a known admin (router managment) password?
You've done all you can router wise.
Change your wifi password and your router managment password regularly.

Edit -- just a thought.. are you using Powerline Adapters for your ethernet connection? If so change the default password. They might (big might) be using them to latch onto your router.
Mook
Seasoned Champion
Posts: 1,266
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Registered: ‎27-12-2019

Re: Hacking?

@Alan54 I don't think the phone line is the issue here, as I see it if they've hacked your wireless network, which is in itself a trivial task, they may, and I repeat may have been able to install spyware on your Laptop. I'm basing this on what the girl in the hallway said.

If you are in any doubt factory reset your laptop with a full format and reinstall your OS.

Bogbody
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 181
Thanks: 47
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎23-02-2020

Re: Hacking?

Ah ha! A quick google finds a method (no details from me), so, yes they could have cracked the wifi.
Installing mallware is a distinct possibility.
I see a reformat and reinstall of your laptop/pc/whatever in your future.
Alex
Community Veteran
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Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Hacking?

The OP have said they've disabled the WiFi and believe hacking is happening via their landline being corded?

My usual advice would be to test your landline for any noise, and a 17070 option 2 quiet line test and raise a fault. If you hear any noise on option 2 then there is a problem, also 17070 will read out your landline number so of course check that is correct.

Mook
Seasoned Champion
Posts: 1,266
Thanks: 870
Fixes: 9
Registered: ‎27-12-2019

Re: Hacking?

The alleged hack occurred prior to the wireless being turned off @Alex and is indeed the reason why it was turned off. As I said I doubt very much if the phone line is an issue here and if the activity is ongoing it adds weight to the planting of malware.

Alan54
Grafter
Posts: 26
Thanks: 2
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎07-03-2018

Re: Hacking?

Thanks for your reply. I was using the Hub 1 that's sent through the post and as far as I could tell has a static admin p/w. I assume that's how they got in and the reason why I bought a BT hub 6 off ebay because I can change both p/w now. Even so my wifi is off permanently which is a bit of a faff with lan cables but hey safer.

Alan54
Grafter
Posts: 26
Thanks: 2
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎07-03-2018

Re: Hacking?

I use Peppermint OS not Windows but after searching online even Linux can get malware it seems.Thanks for your reply.