I am not sure your conclusion that it's the router is logical or correct.

Everything I have read over the years suggests that it's the machines (PC's) who hackers take over. Never heard of any mainstream examples where people hack the router and utilise this on it's own for mischief

Most hacks are via dodgy software being installed on machines that open up the firewall to the hackers. Modem's / routers, are setup to block almost all ports, and are near enough always setup to restrict remotely accessing the admin controls.

The attack surface is usually due to user behaviour. This could be by installing software that asks for more access to the WAN than needed / badly coded, uPNP busting holes through firewall or maliciious coding via bobbytrapped programs.

Hi
If you know for a fact it�s common to find hacked/compromised consumer routers everywhere then can you please email Tim Higgins @smallnetbuilder.com with your proof and I�m sure he�ll investigate further & advise folks accordingly. Otherwise you�re spouting nonsense.
Thanks

[email protected]

Try googling for home router hacks - here is the first one that came up when I did. And another.

300,000 out of how many in use?

To an individual 300,000 sounds a massive amount, but given the number of routers in use in the UK alone it is a small amount.

Putting "Security researchers from Team Cymru" into a search engine brings up a US company specialising in internet threats and internet security. If it is the same Team Cymru as the Panda report references then an even larger pool from which the 300,000 estimate has been drawn.

Not trying to say there is no problem but it always helps to know the context to get the right perspective.

Edited by GonePostal (Thu 25-Jul-19 12:08:32)

Just 1 was too many for me when my Netgear R5250 (now lying somewhere in the loft) got invaded 8^)

Just providing some of the evidence that was requested - some routers have been hacked and used for nefarious purposes, but I am not a proponent of this being all doom and gloom.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

300,000 out of how many in use? To an individual 300,000 sounds a massive amount, but given the number of routers in use in the UK alone it is a small amount.

If router vendors (netgear, dlink, asus, etc) all had automatic, unattended, firmware updates - this would have been less of an issue.

But then we'd be discussing vulnerabilities exposed via the automatic update processes.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

But then we'd be discussing vulnerabilities exposed via the automatic update processes.

which hopefully could be patched.... automatically!