Hackers Target 81% of Routers with Default Admin Passwords

According to Broadband Genie router security survey, 81% of respondents never change their router’s default credentials, a marginal 5% improvement from 2024. The same study finds that 84% have never updated their router firmware, continuing a six-year trend of complacency even though updates address critical vulnerabilities.

It also notes that 85% of users keep their router’s default network name, making it easier for attackers to identify devices, with a 4% year-on-year improvement from 2024 but still below earlier levels. The survey highlights an awareness gap, with 79% of respondents saying they know how to change settings yet 73% don’t understand why they should, a pattern suggesting education efforts remain insufficient.

Other figures show that 31% regularly check which devices are connected to their networks, 69% have never changed their Wi‑Fi password, and 47% have never adjusted any factory settings, the lowest such rate since 2018, representing a 5% improvement from 2024.