Does my wireless network make me especially vulnerable to identity thieves?

Does my wireless network make me especially vulnerable to identity thieves?

Robert Siciliano (Identity Theft Expert and CEO) gives expert video advice on: How can I protect my computer network from identity thieves?; How can I protect myself from identity theft online?; What makes a good password? and more...

Most people don't realize just how insecure wireless actually is. There is very little security, if any at all, when it comes to a wireless connection. The primary purpose of a wireless is for convenience's sake, and that's it. Communicating any financial data over a wireless connection generally can put people at risk. Consider this: when you receive this wireless router most people just simply plug it in and they connect wirelessly over the Internet. From there, if you have not encrypted that wireless connection, if it's not password protected, anybody who's within three to five hundred feet of your home or office can tap into your wireless connection and essentially rob bandwidth. Those same people can actually install programs on your PC wirelessly, allowing them remote access to your information.