Even for IT professional Matthew Ingrassia, keeping a home Wi-Fi network safe from outside threats is close to a full-time undertaking.

The technical coordinator for Washington, D.C.-based law firm Thompson Coburn harbors apprehensions that someone may be able to infiltrate the wireless network he set up in his Maryland home, despite all the training he brought to it. And he's pretty sure there are a lot of less-experienced people out there with no clue just how vulnerable their wireless systems may be.

"Running a home network with no security is akin to unlocking your door and hanging a sign on your house inviting thieves inside to steal," Ingrassia said. "It's easy to see how for someone with no real training, figuring out how to protect yourself might seem nearly impossible."

As Wi-Fi networks become popular in American homes, more people are exposed to dangers such as spyware, and the need to secure systems against those threats becomes more urgent. But for many ordinary owners, the complexity of dealing with a wireless network is leading them to put security on the back burner. If technology providers can't come up with products that will change that attitude, then the problem can only get worse.

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