Moneysupermarket.com commissioned an amateur 'hacker' to test the quality of wireless security on the streets of Liverpool, Manchester and Chester.

The hacker was able to tap into 25 per cent of domestic wireless connections using just a laptop. The study claimed that thousands of internet users had not enabled the security in their wireless modems, leaving hackers free to access their home PCs.

Hackers would be able to steal bank details and identity information, upload illegal content or pornography or even finance or execute a scam from someone else's connection.