An Unusual Wi-Fi Mystery: Is My In-Laws’ Internet Being Spoofed?

In an age where reliable internet connectivity is crucial, discovering that someone’s Wi-Fi credentials might be compromised can feel unsettling. I recently encountered a perplexing situation while living with my in-laws in the UK that left me scratching my head. As a professional with a background in Cyber Security Consultancy, I thought I had seen it all—but this conundrum was new territory.

The Setup

My in-laws use Virgin Media as their Internet Service Provider (ISP) and have a Hub 3 router with the default SSID format ( \text{VM} ) followed by numbers. With several people sharing their home and relying heavily on Wi-Fi, it became apparent that the Hub 3 was struggling to manage the demand. In an effort to alleviate the issue, I purchased a high-performance router to utilize the Hub 3 in modem mode.

As I began this transition, I noticed my phone was still detecting and connecting to the Virgin router, which was inexplicably powered off. Intrigued, I turned to a Wi-Fi analyzer app. Much to my astonishment, I discovered a robust signal emanating from my in-laws’ bedroom. However, there were no visible devices in their home that could explain this anomaly.

The Discovery

After some investigation, it became evident that the source of the signal was not from their router but from a neighbor’s TalkTalk router. Oddly enough, the SSID that consistently popped up began with Virgin Media’s signature, despite it being powered down. A quick WHOIS lookup of my public IP confirmed my suspicions—this unauthorized access point belonged to TalkTalk.

What baffled me was the apparent access being provided through my in-laws’ credentials—a WPA2 password that stemmed from their own network. It left me pondering: how on earth did the neighboring occupants gain access to this information?

Theories and Implications

With limited evidence but plenty of speculation, I developed two primary theories about how this situation may have unfolded.

1. Innocent Explanation:
   • At some point, a previous resident of the neighboring property could have gained access to my in-laws’ Wi-Fi credentials, possibly by observing the router sticker through the window or employing more sophisticated methods like packet sniffing.
   • Upon acquiring the details, they began to share the credentials with new tenants in a rented multiple occupancy house, leading to a situation