A gaping security hole in cable modems distributed to Time Warner/Road Runner customers could potentially be exploited remotely to access private networks and possibly capture and manipulate private data
Just simply because users of connections did not change the standard known and weak log-in password of the router for a stronger one. 300.000 applications were found online where the admin interface was accessible. And there are lists online with all standard log-in standard user names and passwords per a couple of thousand sorts of router types. Here you read about a security script that scanned for vulnerable devices: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/10/vulnerable-devices/
Darpa and Homeland Security that sponsored this survey know about these issues, so time for vendors to act on behalf of the security of their end-users, we cannot wait until another digital Robin Hood to enforce stronger passwords on all these vulnerable machines,