Am i being hacked?

[geordieclaire]

hi there... there's an unknown computer showing up on my shared list.I my get my internet through a wireless router, a BT homehub, and you need a password to get onto the internet.. there are 3 computers in my house connected to that router and they dont even show up under my "shared" list! does this sound like my network is being hacked... and if so how do i protect it (and sorry to say im probably the least technical person when it comes to computers to the simplest explanation would be the best )

 

[kolax]

You, as in your Mac, isn't being hacked.

But it is possible that someone has managed to crack your WiFi password. In your router settings, make sure you are using WPA security instead of WEP. WEP password encryption is crackable really easily if you know how and isn't very secure, unlike WPA.

But my guess is you are mistaking this shared computer and it is one of your own.

Although, most routers support this, is if you go into the router settings, there is usually an info bit which will tell you how many WiFi users are connected.

 

[colocolo]

If you have Parallels open, it might be your virtual machine

 

[geordieclaire]

well it doesnt sound like its one of my machines... because its called "thomson" which doesnt correspond to anyone in my house - 2 of the computers are mine personally n the other is just our home pc so we wouldnt have called it that. In the case of the password, it is a WEP but its just a random assortment of numbers and letters... would people be able to crack that? especially since i dont think the range of my network is very good so is it likely that my neighbours could hack into it?

 

[kolax]

well it doesnt sound like its one of my machines... because its called "thomson" which doesnt correspond to anyone in my house - 2 of the computers are mine personally n the other is just our home pc so we wouldnt have called it that. In the case of the password, it is a WEP but its just a random assortment of numbers and letters... would people be able to crack that? especially since i dont think the range of my network is very good so is it likely that my neighbours could hack into it?

Without breaking the forum rules - cracking a WEP password doesn't involve someone just guessing it - it involves two wireless cards with one sending the request and other listening and when the password is rejected, something along the lines of the password is partially contained in the rejected message. That was my understanding of it anyway.

So use WPA. Change it to that, and change the password too - but you are right on with using jumbled up letters and numbers.

 

[geordieclaire]

ok cheers! I'll try that!

 

[blodwyn]

I might be hallucinating here, but I vaguely remember a similar post to this some time ago. IIRR the conclusion was that this was a characteristic of the way the BT Homehub works. Worth changing your wifi encryption to WPA anyway though.

 

[Jethryn Freyman]

Definitely change to WPA (or WPA2). No matter how strong your WEP password is, it can be broken in under 2 minutes.

 

[itickings]

well it doesnt sound like its one of my machines... because its called "thomson" which doesnt correspond to anyone in my house

While it may not correspond to any person or computer in your house, you may very well have a device called "thomson". Thomson is a manufacturer of modems/broadband routers. I've had one of those myself.

A quick search for "BT homehub thomson" reveals that at least one version of the BT Home Hub is a re-branded version of a Thomson broadband router.

IIRR the conclusion was that this was a characteristic of the way the BT Homehub works.

Most likely.

 

[argos4000]

Without breaking the forum rules - cracking a WEP password doesn't involve someone just guessing it - it involves two wireless cards with one sending the request and other listening and when the password is rejected, something along the lines of the password is partially contained in the rejected message. That was my understanding of it anyway.

So use WPA. Change it to that, and change the password too - but you are right on with using jumbled up letters and numbers.

Definitely change to WPA (or WPA2). No matter how strong your WEP password is, it can be broken in under 2 minutes.

Ok... So how do you change the password to WPA? I have a Linsys router...

 

[r.j.s]

Ok... So how do you change the password to WPA? I have a Linsys router...

Login to the router by typing its IP address into Safari ... 192.168.x.x

Login to the router with the admin name and password, if you have left it at the default, change it.

Under wireless security is the option for WEP/WPA

 

[argos4000]

Login to the router by typing its IP address into Safari ... 192.168.x.x

Login to the router with the admin name and password, if you have left it at the default, change it.

Under wireless security is the option for WEP/WPA

Oh ok thanks... :\ ... ... ... Uhh, how do I find it's IP address? (I am hopeless at routers and things like that... Lol. Sorry. )

 

[milamber]

If it's a linksys router try 192.168.1.1

 

[MacNoobie]

The other option is to setup MAC (Media Access Control) protection on the router and deny MAC address's not on the list from connecting in addition to having WPA/WPA2. I'm not sure how to do it on the linksys router since its been a while but this would involve gathering MAC addresses (usually printed on the back or bottom of a device or in the software 00:00:00:00:00:00 with mixed numbers and letters appearing) from every device that connects to your internet from your ipod touches to your iphones to your mac to your pc to your apple tv, xbox 360, ps3, wii etc. Its not a hard thing to do but to find MAC addresses from every device that connects wired/wirelessly is a PITA if you have tons of em.

MAKE SURE that if you go this route that you gather up the addresses and have a list sitting next to you because if you dont add any MAC addresses to the router there IS a chance that you'd be locked out of the router and have to reset everything to defaults.

Also someone mentioned WPA2.. WPA2 with TKIP can be cracked eventually and if you have a long delay upon refreshing the keys (for example 3600 seconds) then it makes it easier to crack. The solution to this is to set WPA2 to AES and reduce the refreshing of keys down to less then 60 seconds.

I'm also sure that this will impact speed of your network also so streaming video/xfer large files might be impacted.

 

[VoR]

Cracking wpa2/tkip with a strong password is more of a magnet for 'tech blog' page hits than a realistic threat for a home user - I'd still use aes mind.
I'm surprised you mentioned mac filtering after recommending the switch though, it provides zero security and is a pretty large inconvenience to even the smallest networks.

 

[CGT]

the router is what is showing up as thomson.

happens on mine too.

 

[millar876]

if you are using a BT Homehub, althought the password is WEP, you need to press the wirless ascosiation button on the side of it the first time you connect a new wireless client (laptop/iPhone ect.) its kindof an easy way to use MAC address filtering, and unless it was hacke dduring the 60 second window that it was pressed, or somone cloned your MAC address its quite unlikley.

 

[r.j.s]

Oh ok thanks... :\ ... ... ... Uhh, how do I find it's IP address? (I am hopeless at routers and things like that... Lol. Sorry. )

Sys Pref > Network > Airport > Advanced > TCP/IP Tab

Look for the numbers next to Router ... I'm not showing my IP, but here are the tabs.