Broadband users are being warned that if they do not change their default passwords, their home routers could be at risk from attack.

An experiment was set up by security researchers at Indiana University and Symantec that showed that a web site with malicious code could use the default password to access a router's settings.

The user could then be redirected to phishing sites that would attempt to gain personal information such as account details.

Routers are used in home broadband networks to link several PCs to the Internet.

The attack relies on the user having never changed their router password from the default one, which it is thought around half of router owners have not done.

Home router uses are urged to change their password now to protect their networks. Instructions on how to do this are usually provided in the router or broadband documentation, or available on the manufacturer's web site.

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