FBI Warns About Russian-Linked Malware Attack on Your Home Router – Follow 5 Easy Stept to Reboot It and Protect Yourself
On Friday, the FBI warned that anyone who uses a router to connect to the internet should reboot their routers to get rid of Russian malware.
Nexter.org explains what’s going on and how to reboot your routes in 5 easy steps.
Source: Getty Images
What’s the threat?
Last week, Talos Intelligence released a detailed report on a new breed of malware (VPNFilter) that targets network routers directly, instead of the devices hooked up to them. Following the report, FBI warned on Friday the public that foreign cyber criminals have compromised “hundreds of thousands” of router devices in homes and small offices around the world and requested to reboot routers.
Rebooting internet routers will “temporarily disrupt the malware and aid the potential identification of infected devices,” according to the FBI. The agency also recommends disabling your routers’ remote-management settings and updating the password you use to access your router’s settings.
The warning is related to Russian malware (malicious software) called VPNFilter that can secretly install itself onto internet routers and collect data from an unsuspecting user. So far, it’s estimated that 500,000 devices — mostly from Ukraine — have been affected.
“The size and scope of the infrastructure by VPNFilter malware is significant,” the FBI said, adding that it is capable of rendering peoples’ routers “inoperable.”
FBI has discovered that the foreign cyber criminals used a VPNFilter malware that can collect peoples’ information, exploit their devices and also block network traffic.
So far, the routers affected were manufactured by Linksys, Mikrotik, Netgear, QNAP and TP-Link.
Here’s the list of devices were targeted according to the Talos report:
Linksys: E1200, E2500, and WRVS4400N
Mikrotik: 1016, 1036, and 1072
Netgear: DGN2200, R6400, R7000, R8000, WNR1000, and WNR2000
QNAP: TS251 and TS439 Pro
TP-LINK: R600VPN
Follow these easy steps to reboot your router:
1. Turn off the device.
2. Unplug the router from the electrical outlet.
3. Leave the device unplugged for at least 30 seconds.
4. Plug the router back into the electrical outlet and power the device on.
5. Check to see if your internet connection was re-established.
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