yes it affects wired as well as wireless routers the title of the article is very mis leading. And yes you need to follow the directions in your instruction book to change the password from what they had it set as for default, also the user name. create your password by using a combination of letters and numbers and do not use a real word use a creation of your own or use a password generator, But be sure you do not lose that info!! that is why I suggested either taping to the bottom of the router or using a label maker and sticking it down there. When you are disconnected there is no way for anyone to gain access to your pc. while checking your instructions you also might want to make sure that the firewall in the router is indeed activated.

I am extremely security conscious obviously, I use hard nonsense passwords and rarely ever use the same password for anything , for security sensitive sites I never use the same and always use hardened password. I have one notebook I keep everything written down in, I keep it in a secure locked location, I do NOT put them on my pc and NEVER in my email account if your email is hacked they have access to every single one of your accounts and passwords that is the biggest no no of them all because email accounts are so easily hacked these days. For those doing that I urge you to reconsider!!! If someone manages to break into my house past me and my husband and dogs and our weapons and manage to steal my computers and also find the locked location of my password book and break into that and find that particular notebook then they can have it because I will be cold and dead by then. And I would imagine they will be shedding a little blood too. The only other location is in a lock drawer in a completely separate location, not in my home, in case of a fire or catastrophe here. I never allow the browser to remember passwords and never ever keep any type of password or registration info in my email since email is so insecure.

Do we know anybody who had a crook sneak into their home, ignore the t.v. the jewelry,& the vcr so they could sit down check the paper slips, use the password and order from home shopping network or whatever? Burglars will steal your laptop, so of course you would password protect everything, and also put your drivers license number on the back and maybe your name also. The little book with the passwords needs to look boring and not be next to the laptop. as a lawyer I deal with clients who are victims of identity theft. That is unfortunately done by family members most often.Niece or nephew in about 70% of the cases I have seen. They get the password by asking what it is. They take checks when nobody is looking. Next are often caregivers who have been asked to write checks for the market, etc. Hackers are not getting their info from little slips of paper in your home desk. They phish for info, they hack, etc. So the people who use the same good passwords are probably correct, and Gloria's idea of using a different one each time you order from a given website is terrific.Keep it simple.

well I will just have to agree to disagree, I have learned very much from both of them as have many others at the pro support forums I work on, real support security people, in fact Steve is on several of the same forums I am on, exceptionally nice man. I would never disparage anyone who has had so much success and support in the community, can not even imagine anyone saying Steve is not a security expert. We regularly recommend his spin rite program on the computer help forum and on many other forums I work on. Along with many of his awesome free programs and shields up. Calling Leo Laporte only a journalist?? he is an award winning journalist but he is way more than that what he has done for introducing technology, and bringing it to the people, is impressive to say the least and his tv shows had big fan bases. He has had many many great tv shows that have produced and spun off so many great talents in the industry. Tech tv was amazingly popular and a wonderful and informative show, it was a haven for those new to computers and needing help the call for help section was massively successful. I for one was very disappointed when the network was taken over by the gamers channel. But I continue to watch and support them through the podcasts and online shows. I do not go to DefCon. I'm not a follower of many hackers blogs either, sorry. but in all my years of work in this field I have heard repeatedly favorable things about Steve and Leo. And I have definitely been with some people that know them and the industry. Steve has done work in computer programing and security for many many years if you are just centering in on haystack that would be like judging an author who has had many award winning books by just one paragraph in their latest that you don't like. Haystack and rainbow tables et all are topics of discussion everywhere, for and against pros and cons. His volume of work over the years has been extremely impressive he is with out doubt an accomplished programmer his many programs and works are proof of that so no denying that aspect. I have to recognize and support those that have gone before and forged the way for where we are today, whether I like them or not is irrelevant, I would do the same for someone I was not fond of. Do some people dislike him I am sure there are, pretty much everyone has fans and non-supporters to put it nicely. I judge by actuality and body of work much of which I have seen at work and know it is real and works. everyone has an opinion that is how I base mine, and would hope others do the same, makes for a varied and diversified world.