A security firm that helps retailers protect your credit card information has discovered many stores are doing anything but.

The firm found half of the retailers it tested are leaving some of your personal information out there for anyone to steal.

So, how might this revelation affect your shopping plans?

The security firm is not revealing which specific stores passed and failed, but Call 4 Action learned the testing was done at some of the busiest shops in major cities. Those shops often use the same computer security systems at stores across the country.

"It's shocking, that level of negligence," said Carnegie Mellon University technology expert Jon Peha. "It's well-understood how to offer better security than what I'm seeing."

For years, wires connected the computer networks of major stores, but many have upgraded to wireless systems.

An Atlanta-based major computer security firm called Air Defense recently tested wireless networks in 3,000 U.S. and Europe retail stores.

It found 25 percent of the stores were not protecting those networks, and another 25 percent were doing so with outdated methods, meaning half were vulnerable to identity theft.

A Team 4 investigation recently revealed how easy it is to access a wireless network if it's not properly protected. Just by driving around a neighborhood with a laptop computer, they found several wireless networks inside homes they easily could have accessed.

"It would not be hard for these stores to put in decent security, which is actually why it's so surprising so many of them haven't," said Peha.

The best thing you can do is closely monitor your credit card statements for any discrepancies.

Also, consider paying with a credit card instead of a debit card this year because with a credit card, it's easier to dispute the charges.

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