I've recently become more cautious about my online security and started focusing on my operational security (opsec). This has led to a heightened sense of paranoia about being exploited or hacked. Just a few days ago, I noticed some suspicious activity on my Microsoft account, but I assumed it was just me using my own PC. Yesterday, however, I logged into my router's admin panel for the first time in ages and found an unknown device showing up as "unknown" with a MAC address linked to a company called Wi2Wi Inc., which deals with IoT and networking among other things. The device had a local IP address (192.168.X.X) - does this mean it's definitely a local device or could it be someone accessing our Wi-Fi remotely? We've tried turning everything off and reconnecting devices one by one, yet this unknown device persists, even with other devices disconnected. My PC, which is connected via LAN, doesn't have Wi-Fi capability. I'm seriously worried that someone could be spying on us or accessing our data. Could there be a connection between the activity on my Microsoft account and this unknown device? Please, I really need some help!
4 Answers
Based on what you've described, you may not be hacked at all. Devices sometimes show up on your network due to how they identify themselves, and they may not list clearly which device they actually are. This could very well be something innocuous connected to your network. If you're truly concerned, changing your password was a smart move, and you can keep monitoring the situation to see if that device comes back.
If you're still feeling uneasy, consider running some diagnostics with tools like Wireshark or Nmap, which can give more insight into what's happening on your network. I would isolate the situation by blocking that MAC address and watching for changes. But honestly, remember that most of the threats we think are there are much less likely than they seem. Just keep your security updated and try to relax!
Don't worry too much! The truth is that most people are more focused on their own lives than spying on you. Unless you have a significant profile, you're likely not on anyone's radar. Just double-check that your router's security settings are up to par. If the unknown device continues to give you trouble, you might want to block it and see if anything odd happens. Your average security practices should keep you safe!
It sounds like you're feeling pretty paranoid, and that's completely understandable! First things first, make sure to secure that Microsoft account by resetting your password, logging out of other sessions, and setting up multi-factor authentication (MFA). As for the unknown device, it could be any number of things like a neighbor's possibly misconfigured device or even something like a smart light bulb connecting to your network. Honestly, the bigger question is whether anyone actually cares enough to spy on you, which is often not the case! If your network is secure, you're probably safer than you think.
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