Verizon Admits Its Default DSL and FiOS Wireless Security "Does Not Provide Good Protection Against a Hacker"

Verizon Admits Its Default DSL and FiOS Wireless Security "Does Not Provide Good Protection Against a Hacker"

I had to repeat the headline because it tells the story so well. Read the article. Read it all the way to the end. Then check your own setup regardless of who your vendor is because you may be just as vulnerable.

What is going on here? You purchase a service. The technician comes in and sets it up. Or you get assistance over the phone setting it up yourself. They tell you you are all set. You feel safe, secure.

You're not. And they know it but don't tell you. Actually, some of them know it but others don't. They should, but they don't.

I'm not surprised. More and more, software companies/services try to "idiot proof" their product so you'll stay out of the inner workings. They want you to think that they've got you covered. They want you to work they way the think you should work. And they do it because they think you're stupid; too stupid to learn what you should know so you can control your software, work the way you need to work, and ensure your own safety online.

If you knew in advance that there are huge security holes in their setups, you'd probably get educated before trusting. Then you wouldn't buy their additional security software or services.

They often write such confusing documentation that even the highly computer-literate end user cannot figure it out easily. Some technical documentation today is pretty good, but much of it is not. You, the end user, don't know if you are actually as stupid as it makes you feel, or if someone wrote it after a six-pack.

So, will Verizon change its default settings to be more secure? Probably not, unless a lot of its customers raise their collective voice and demand it. Will Verizon better train its customer service technicians? Probably not, again, unless... You get it; they don't. Speak up. Demand improvement.

And, if you want to get a better handle on your security settings, one site I can recommend without reservation is Kim Komando,where you can look up all things computers and find sensible, easy to read, accurate information. She makes it easy for the non techie.

Oh, and raise your collective voice to Verizon. Make them provide the "excellent" level of service you are paying for.