Unraveling the Mystery: Unintentional Wi-Fi Spoofing Next Door

In a digital world so intricately connected, it’s alarming just how vulnerable our home networks can become. A perplexing issue recently unfolded in my in-laws’ home in the UK, one that I hadn’t anticipated nor encountered in my professional journey in Cyber Security Consultancy. As a holder of a Computer Science degree, I was intrigued but cautious about approaching this topic with a professional colleague, so instead, I turned to this platform to share my experience and gather insights from the community.

The Situation at Hand

Currently residing with my spouse’s parents, they utilize Virgin as their Internet Service Provider through a Hub 3 router. Unfortunately, as more family members have gathered under one roof, the Hub 3 struggled to efficiently manage the numerous connections. To combat this, I invested in a high-performance router to replace the existing setup by placing the Hub 3 in modem mode.

Upon beginning the configuration, I encountered something peculiar: my smartphone maintained a weak yet active connection to the Virgin router—despite it being switched off! To investigate further, I employed a Wi-Fi analyzer app to locate the strongest signals throughout the house, ultimately discovering a robust network in the rear of their home, particularly within my in-laws’ bedroom.

Unsolved Mysteries

My in-laws strongly assert that there is no additional access point present, and I’ve verified that all connections are linked solely to the Hub 3 router. Their bedroom had undergone renovations recently, leaving no forgotten or overlooked devices behind. All signs pointed to one undeniable conclusion: the internet signal was emanating from the neighboring property.

Compounding the mystery, the detected signal was from a Talk Talk router—decidedly different from Virgin. A Quick WHOIS lookup on my IP confirmed this connection belonged to Talk Talk.

This anomalous setup suggested that someone in the adjacent property was utilizing our Wi-Fi credentials, which is particularly concerning considering the house next door is a rented multiple-occupancy dwelling. Over the past two and a half years, my in-laws have operated under the assumption that their Wi-Fi credentials remained secure.

Theories in Play

After reflecting on the situation, I developed a couple of theories to explain this unconventional dilemma:

1. Innocent Mistake:

• Initial Theft: At some point, a resident of the neighboring house may have come across my in-laws’ credentials—whether through brute force, packet sniff