... telling you there are 13 wireless routers in the neighborhood where I live and that only three of those are open--the rest locked down mostly on my own recommendation. I won't deny there are those who get defensive when you tell them such things, but others genuinely don't know and aren't told by their provider if it is installed by, say, the cable company. Point it out to them, demonstrate it to them, and most people are surprised, shocked and happy that you've brought this issue to their attention and will usually ask you to fix it and even offer to pay you for it (of course, many won't, either).

Yes, I do know that many, if not most people are ignorant of the security issues inherent in internet use; it's up to the consultants and the professionals to make these people aware and do what they can to limit the risks. Thieves, whether they be data thieves or 'simple' robbers, go for the easiest target they can find. If they can't break into a network with a couple of quick and easy attacks, they move on to a different network, looking for easy prey.

On the other hand, governmental and corporate-grade networks are usually under attack by far more 'professional' hackers who aim for big prey like massive numbers of credit card accounts or military secrets like weapons and tactics. Obviously the most visible attacks are financially oriented but I don't doubt in the least that government secrets are very desirable data to other governments. Also obviously, the security needs of such systems are far higher than the average consumer's. What I'm saying here is that you have to balance every aspect of that user's usage and security needs. Again I know the public is ignorant, but the public doesn't always need to hide behind massive firewalls and black-ice defensive software; sometimes a simple hardwired firewall in their network router is more than enough to protect them--as long as that firewall is turned on and their devices use that router and not some other, unsecured one.