Put the Default Names Down

Here we go again. Another client running a business on a DSL router with ADMIN as the login and 192.168.1.1/255.255/255/0 as the IP address and submask. If that wasn't bad enough, they used Microsoft workgroup file and device sharing with MSHOME as the workgroup name.

Sure, any competent hacker could break in even if they didn't use the defaults but face it, there just aren't that many competent hackers out there with nothing else to do!

Most businesses need just about as much computer security as they do physical security - a reasonable amount and little more. But the baseline for that security should be the easy stuff anybody can do to protect their network from dodos who know the default logins, passwords and workgroup names used by the common equipment.

In many cases, all you have to do is browse to the Internet side of the router and the login prompt will tell you the router brand then you can pull the defaults off the *%$#! website.

Please, please people. Follow these basic rules to set up your networks to keep them safe from casual hackers.

1. Change the administrator login and password for your router from the defaults.
2. Change the IP range and mask from the default (try 192.168.23.101 or something).
3. Create a local name for your workgroup and use passwords to protect your shared folders.
4. Make sure every user ID on your PCs is password protected.

This is kindergarten stuff but it will help you from coming in one morning to discover someone has sucked your systems dry or screwed them up beyond belief.