How to identify a WiFi hacker?

Question

If someone gained access to my home wireless network (broadband connection & laptop), is it possible to identify details of this person to give to my ISP or law enforcement?

Therefore, please give methods to identify (not block) the hacker. In a sense this scenario is like a "honeypot" situation. I know this person lives in close proximity to me, & I have a feeling who it is but require evidence.

Do people on a wireless connection leave the same evident footprints as those on a wired connection?

Thanks for you help.

Answer 1

A honeypot is generally used as a distraction to lead someone away from the good stuff AFTER they broke through your first levl of security. If you're just trying to bust someone for leeching off of an unprotected WiFi that's pretty lame. Just secure it and they'll move on.

Meanwhile the answer to your question is that you might be able to find their MAC address in your router... while they are attached. I wouldn't count on the cops or your ISP doing anything about a simple leech.

If on the other hand, they're stealing data from you, well if I was a cop the first question I would ask is how did they get into the network in the first place? If you don't have protection you don't have much of a case.

Answer 2

OMG.. have fun with this guy. Its not hacking if you don't take security measures. This guy/gal/kid could be in their own house and "YOUR" signal could be trespassing into their property. Now who is the criminal? What if they are out on their deck and they think they are connecting to their wireless access point, but it connects to yours because your signal is there.. yadi yadi..

That is case 1.

Case 2 says.. have fun with this person if its not your neighbor. If that computer is on your lan, practice getting information off it such as maybe downloading his entire drive. Some would call that hacking, but is it really if that computer is on YOUR network.
Try sending window alerts to his machine... scary ones.. "I KNOW YOU ARE HERE and I WANT YOU" messages. Just all in fun, nothing like seeing the car rip away from down your block.

Enjoy life a little more, encrypt your router or have some fun.

Answer 3

Unfortunately you don't have much of a case. If your wireless network is not encrypted, it's really your fault. Law enforcement and most ISP's are too busy with real crimes to even bother with someone using an open wireless network unelss it is for criminal activity on a fairly large scale. If your router is properly encrypted with a 128-bit WEP key, it's unlikely anyone would hack it.

Answer 4

If you think the problem is ongoing, then yes.

Start by downloading a packet sniffer such as Ethereal. You can then collect and log the usage/attacks.

Keep in mind that:
a) those logs alone may not be enough to convince law enforcement (because they are easily forgeable), and
b) a sophisticated user can subvert your logging by spoofing MAC addresses.

The most sure-fire way is to get law-enforcement involved and let them track the signal. However, don't be surprised if they don't want to dedicate the resources needed to do this. The easiest way to prevent it is to enable WPA2 encryption on your wireless router.

Answer 5

The MAC address of their networking device is unique, but you would probably need a search warrant to go that far. It might be easier to setup an access key on your network to make it secure.

Maybe even limit to give out one IP Static number like 192.169.0.75 and if you are using it the other person can't access the device if they have the security key.

Contact me at [e-mail] if you need help.

Answer 6

it is obtainable, yet unlikely, until you're some form of excellent aim (a celebrity, a huge enterprise, a central authority. in the event that they have a backdoor on the computing gadget, so as that they'd logon and do stuff, they'd see different computers on your interior of reach community, and in case you have some form of have confidence relationships (shared folders, passwordless logins) then they'd get entry to different computers. If no longer, they are at the back of your firewall yet nonetheless don't have direct get entry to. that they had decide for a vulnerability interior the working device, like between the homestead windows port 443 ones that have been given patched some years back (in case you patched). they'd run keyloggers on the computing gadget and seize passwords to web pages etc. they'd decrypt the wifi key, yet so what, they already have get entry to, so they'd pay attention to the interior of reach community (WEP or i think of WPA/PSK) and seize site visitors and unencrypted passwords from different computers on wifi to the cyber web or regionally. each so often, they'd hack the router from the interior of reach area (there became a vulnerability in UPnP found recently). yet as I say, why ought to they difficulty going after some (pardon me) no one whilst there is money to be made going after Amazon or Cocoa-Cola or the government ?

Answer 7

Your router will be able to report the MAC address of all devices connected to ti. Check your manuals or call the manufacturer. MAC addresses identify the actual hardware of the network interface. This will serve as sufficient proof. You will need to keep logs, I recommend a week's worth for investigation purposes.

When you report this to the police, make sure you use the term "cybercrime" and "theft of bandwidth." If they don't want to address the issue, be ready to say that your next step is to contact the FBI cybercrimes division and that you will be sure to report the department's "cooperation".

Answer 8

there are utilities out there that will ad hoc map your home network, including its wireless subnet. This should identify any unauthorized users by computer name, ip address, and their status (online/offline). You may even access their hard drive, if so configured. Dell has such a free utility called "Dell Network Assistant" that they provide to Dell owners. Im sure there are others.

Answer 9

you should be able to find them via IP address, but someone who can get in probaly knows how to delete the log file.

Set a MAC address filter so only MAC addresses you specify can connect to your network. Also use encryption. I would suggest you contact your ISP and ask for their advice...

Answer 10

If you haven't enabled any security through WEP or WPA, then the person hasn't hacked your WiFi.

Why are you so lazy as to not have put in place security measures that are provided to you by your WiFi equipment manufacturer.

Next time, read the documentation that comes with your equipment.

If you don't understand it, then maybe you aren't qualified to use it.