Overheard a guy at Starbucks mention his router password was 'password123'

I was sitting near a guy on a video call who laughed about using 'password123' for his home router. He even said he never changed it from the sticker on the bottom. How many people are running their whole network with default settings and no idea how easy that is to crack?

3 comments

3 Comments

joseph_green137d ago

I mean, that's basically putting a neon sign on your router that says "free Wi-Fi and also your banking info." Maybe it's just me but at some point you gotta wonder if people realize their router's password is basically the front door to their whole digital life. But hey, at least he's consistent with the '123' part, gotta give him credit for commitment.

the_lucas7d ago

I read somewhere that "12345678" is still one of the most common passwords in data breach dumps, so it's basically the digital equivalent of leaving your keys in the lock at this point. And yeah @joseph_green13, you're right, it's not just about the Wi-Fi because once someone's on your network they can mess with a lot more than just your browsing history. I remember hearing about a guy who hacked his neighbor's smart fridge just because the router password was "password". People get way too comfortable thinking nobody would bother with their specific network, but automated scanners don't care who you are, they just grab whatever is open. It's like leaving your car running in a parking lot with the door open and being surprised when it's gone. The lame excuse is usually "I didn't think it mattered" until they lose something important.

margaretc427d ago

That smart fridge story sounds like an urban legend honestly, I've seen it pop up in a dozen different forms and nobody ever has a source. Even if it did happen, most people's networks aren't interesting enough for anyone to bother with past the Wi-Fi password.