Your Wi-Fi router, baby monitor, smart camera, thermostat, doorbell, printer, and other connected devices may arrive with a default username and password. Sometimes those credentials are printed on a sticker. Sometimes they are listed in a manual. Sometimes they are as simple as admin/admin or admin/password.
That may make setup easier, but it also gives cybercriminals an easy target. If your device still uses a default password, attackers may be able to guess the login, take control, spy on activity, or add the device to a botnet.
Why are default passwords dangerous?
Default passwords are risky because attackers often know them already. Router and device manuals can be public, and lists of common default credentials circulate online. If a device is exposed to the internet or reachable from your home network, criminals may try those logins automatically.
CISA’s home Wi-Fi security guidance says default router information may be publicly available and calls changing the router login username and password “crucial.”
That applies beyond routers. Any smart device with an admin login deserves the same treatment.
What devices should you check first?
Start with devices that connect to your network or control something in your home.
Check default passwords on:
- Wi-Fi routers and mesh systems
- Modems and gateways
- Baby monitors
- Security cameras
- Smart doorbells
- Smart locks
- Printers
- Network storage drives
- Smart TVs
- Thermostats
- Gaming consoles
- Smart speakers and hubs
- Home office devices
If a device has an app, web portal, admin panel, or setup page, it likely has security settings worth reviewing.
How do hackers use default passwords?
Hackers use default passwords because they are fast and cheap to test. Attackers can scan for exposed devices, try common login combinations, and compromise weakly protected hardware without needing sophisticated tricks.
CISA’s IoT security guidance warns that attackers can infect large numbers of connected devices at once and use them as part of a botnet to attack other computers or devices.
A compromised smart device could be used to:
- Join a botnet
- Spy through a camera or microphone
- Change router settings
- Redirect web traffic
- Attack other devices
- Access files or network services
- Slow down your internet connection
- Help criminals hide malicious activity
How big is the threat?
Connected-device security matters because cybercrime keeps growing. The FBI said its 2024 Internet Crime Report announcement combined 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime and reported losses exceeding $16 billion, a 33% increase from 2023.
Default passwords are just one risk, but they fit into a larger pattern: criminals look for the easiest way in. Do not make your home router or smart camera that easy door.
How does changing default passwords help someone become safer online?
Changing default passwords helps someone become safer online because it removes one of the simplest ways attackers break into home devices. A strong custom password forces criminals to work harder and helps protect everything connected to the same network.
This habit helps protect:
- Your Wi-Fi network
- Connected phones and laptops
- Smart cameras and microphones
- Personal photos and files
- Home office devices
- Streaming and gaming accounts
- Banking and shopping activity
- Children’s connected devices
- Smart home privacy
The safer mindset is simple: if a device connects to the internet, treat its password like a front-door key.
How to change default passwords safely
Use this step-by-step checklist when setting up any router or smart device.
Step 1: Find the admin settings
Look for the device’s app, setup website, or web admin panel. The manufacturer’s official user guide should explain where to change the administrator password.
Step 2: Change the admin username if possible
If the device lets you change “admin” to a unique username, do it. This gives attackers one less easy guess.
Step 3: Create a strong, unique password
Use a password manager to create and store a long password. If you need something memorable, use a passphrase made of several unrelated words.
Step 4: Change the Wi-Fi password too
Your router admin password and Wi-Fi password are different. CISA’s home Wi-Fi guide recommends changing the Wi-Fi password and using a memorable passphrase of 5 to 7 unrelated words totaling at least 16 characters.
Step 5: Update the firmware
Firmware updates fix known vulnerabilities. CISA’s home router security guidance recommends updating router security settings and changing default login credentials because default usernames and passwords are well known to attackers. [
Step 6: Disable remote admin access if you do not need it
Most people do not need to manage a home router from outside the house. Turn remote management off unless you understand the risk and need the feature.
Step 7: Put smart devices on a guest network
If your router supports a guest network, use it for smart home devices. This can help separate less-secure gadgets from laptops, phones, and work devices.
Quick home device password checklist
Before you finish setup, confirm:
- You changed the default admin password
- You changed the default Wi-Fi name and password
- You installed firmware updates
- You disabled unused features
- You turned off remote admin access
- You saved passwords in a password manager
- You reviewed privacy settings for cameras and microphones
- You replaced unsupported devices that no longer receive updates
Default passwords are convenient for setup, but dangerous for everyday use. Change them on your router, baby monitor, smart camera, printer, and every connected device you bring into your home.
