Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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Deanie Wimmer ReportingUtah has more home computers per capita than any other state so a lot of us are vulnerable to a growing crime. You're behind locked doors, feeling secure, and yet, the majority of people using wireless computers in Utah are sending a signal outside their home that's unsecured. It's like giving a bad guy your key to the front door.
"Leaving your wireless unsecure is like leaving your house, leaving the front door open and leaving for the weekend."
Only they don't come in through the door, they enter through your computer signal. Thousands of Utahns with wireless computers have systems wide open, and most have no idea.
Chris Coberly, Data Doctors: "They don't know what can happen to them, that's the danger."
To demonstrate the danger, trouble shooters from Data Doctors take us "War Driving". It's where hackers drive around neighborhoods, and for the sport of it, record the address of unsecured networks and map them out on the Internet.
James Chandler, Data Doctors: "It's strictly a game to them, but they provide a tool for anybody who is interested in the malicious, the criminal intent."
And after war driving for just a few minutes, we find dozens of open home networks, some even registered in the family name.
James Chandler, Data Doctors: "They're basically telling you, 'I'm free, I'm not secure, connect to me.' All I have to do is click a button and I'm ready to connect."
And from the car, they could access everything sent across the signal -- account numbers, passwords, business documents. If that's not enough, they can make you criminally liable by downloading illegal material, using your computer's Internet address.
Chris Coberly, Data Doctors: "We could sit outside in the car, hook up to your network and search for child porn or things like that. When that happens, the FBI tags you. And when they come, there's no way to prove it wasn't you."
We decided to knock on the door of the next network that invited us in. Imagine their reaction when we already knew their names.
DeLoa Sharp, Mom: "That's pretty scary, you're already worried about identity theft and stuff like that."
Amber Sharp: "I had no idea about any of that."
Our experts made a few simple adjustments and secured their system.
Chris Coberly, Data Doctors: "It's simple to fix, but 50-percent of wireless users in Utah don't have their wireless networks secured."
At our next stop we again explained the dangers and made the fix. He knew his signal was open, but didn't realize the risks.
Carl Accettura: "Oh, my neighbors won't tap into the network, so what's the problem? Well, now I find out people can drive by and create a problem."
Fixing it can be as easy as clicking on "settings" and making a few adjustments, but each system is a little different. To Stay Safe, you need to change the default SSID, disable the SSID broadcast and change the Default Password.
