For most of us, having WiFi in the home is just as essential as keeping the lights on.
But experts now warn that your connection to the internet could also be giving criminals access to your most sensitive information.
Research conducted by Broadband Genie found that the majority of people have never taken simple steps to protect their routers from cyberattacks.
By leaving privacy settings and passwords on default and failing to update vital security updates, people could be leaving their network wide open to hackers.
Here’s how you can check your device is up to date with the latest security features, and what to do if it isn’t.
Experts warn that the majority of WiFi routers are at risk of cyberattacks which could be easily avoided (stock image)
Routers are the devices that allow us to connect to the wider internet by acting as a gateway which passes information from one device to another.
They act as the core of your home’s WiFi network but most of us don’t touch them or even think about them after we plug them in.
Broadband Genie surveyed 3,000 internet users to see how they used their routers.
Their survey found that more than half of those surveyed had never changed any of their devices’ factory settings.
Oliver Devane, senior security researcher at McAfee, says: ‘Many default settings can be dangerous in the hands of cybercriminals.’
Additionally, the survey found that the vast majority of people had never changed their WiFi network name or password.
A survey from Broadband Genie found that more than half of people had not changed a single one of their WiFi router’s default settings – up from two years ago
Of those surveyed, 89 per cent had never changed their network name, while 86 per cent had never changed their administrator password, and 75 per cent had never changed their WiFi password.
Depending on the make or model, your router could have a default name that may be publicly known.
If your WiFi network still has its default name, this makes it easy for hackers to look up what kind of password your network is likely to have and narrow down the range of possible guesses.
Mr Devane says: ‘Just like changing the lock on your front door, changing the default router password will ensure only authorised people can access your home network.’
Another serious security issue identified by the report is that around nine out of ten people (89 per cent) have never updated their router’s firmware.
Internet service providers (ISPs) frequently release updates which add new features, resolve issues, and fix security weaknesses.
When these aren’t updated, hackers can use older, well-known security vulnerabilities to hack into the network.
Mr Devane says: ‘Cybercriminals take advantage of bugs and vulnerabilities in firmware, to gain access to your online information.
Leaving your router’s settings at their factory defaults can make it far easier for hackers to gain access to your network (stock image)
‘Keeping the firmware up to date with the latest security patches will prevent this from happening.’
Luckily, most modern routers will automatically check for and install updates whenever they are connected to the internet.
However, if you have an older model it might be up to you to ensure that your network receives all the necessary security updates.
If your network is compromised, hackers might be able to intercept information such as bank details or medical information which is sent over the network.
Unscrupulous neighbours may also simply gain access to an unprotected network to avoid having to pay for their own.
Most ISPs make it easy for users to see which devices are connected to their network, making it possible to figure out if there is anyone connected who shouldn’t be.
However, Broadband Genie’s survey found that 75 per cent of people had never taken the steps to see who was connected to their WiFi.
To check your router’s settings or change your passwords, you will need to navigate to your WiFi router’s online configuration page.
To do this, open any internet browser on a device connected to your WiFi network and enter your network’s IP address into the address or search bar.
The IP address for most routers is 192.168.1.1 but if this doesn’t work you will need to look up your router’s address.
Once you have entered the IP address and hit enter this will bring you to the login page where you will be prompted to enter your router’s username and password which can usually be found on the sticker where the default password is written.
The vast majority of people had not changed their router’s administrator password in 2024 (right). Thee number of people who had fell from 16 per cent to 14 per cent in the last two years
This comes after the WiFi network across 19 of the UK’s biggest train stations was hacked, demonstrating the vulnerabilities in easily accessible wireless networks
Something as simple as changing your WiFi password makes it harder for hackers to access your network but only 28 per cent of people said they had done this in 2024
From there you should be able to navigate through the settings to change your passwords and network name or install any needed updates, Broadband Genie says.
You may need to check your ISP’s website for more specific information on where to find these settings.
If you find an unexpected device on your network or believe that you have been the victim of a cyberattack it is important that you take measures to secure your network.
First, disconnect your internet and perform a full factory reset of the router which will remove any code the hacker might have installed to give themselves access.
Once the router has been reset, you will need to change your admin password, WiFi password, and network names to something unique – take care not to repeat any of your existing passwords or use personal information.
Finally, check any devices or accounts that you think might have been accessed for suspicious activity and report these if necessary.
