Unless you're a networking engineer, it's unlikely you've thought about your router in some time. After all, working tech is working tech, and if it's still delivering the speeds your internet provider promised, why change it? Cyber criminals, that's why. Especially if yours happens to be a Cisco Linksys model.
That's according to the FBI, which has released a document [PDF warning] advising that not only are EOL (End of Life) routers particularly open to attack from nefarious internet forces in general, but specifically mentions multiple Cisco Linksys models as "vulnerable to compromise" (via Hot Hardware). The routers mentioned are as follows:
- Cisco Linksys E1200
- Cisco Linksys E2500
- Cisco Linksys E1000
- Cisco Linksys E4200
- Cisco Linksys E1500
- Cisco Linksys E300
- Cisco Linksys E3200
- Cisco Linksys WRT320N
- Cisco Linksys E1550
- Cisco Linksys WRT610
- Cisco Linksys E100
- Cisco Linksys M10
- Cisco Linksys WRT310N
"Threat actors exploit known vulnerabilities to compromise EOL routers, install malware, and use the routers in a botnet they control to launch coordinated attacks or sell access to the devices as proxy services," the document warns.
"The FBI recommends users replace compromised devices with newer models or prevent infection by disabling remote administration and rebooting the router."
Given just how many people cling on to ageing routers until the day their ISP finally replaces them, I'd say it's worth having a look at routers used by your nearest and dearest, too. I'm pretty sure my grandparents use a clockwork router from 1853 (or thereabouts) for their home network, so I'll be certain to dig around underneath the cables next time I'm over for a quiet cup of tea and give them a top router recommendation for their regular Counter-Strike 2 sessions.
While TP-Link routers are not specifically named, they too have been in the news recently regarding security concerns. US congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has repeatedly called for a ban of TP-Link devices linked to Chinese cyberattacks, most recently in regards to a "worst in nation's history" US telecoms hack revealed late last year.
Networking might be the least sexy of all hardware concerns, but it's worth remembering that your router is the last port of call between the worldwide web and your personal devices. Best to give it a check over—and most certainly a firmware update— even if your router doesn't appear on this list, don't you think?
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