Internet Router Malware

05-28-18: Internet Router Malware: The Russians are at it again...

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reported that, “a sophisticated malware system linked to Russia has infected hundreds of thousands of internet routers”. The FBI indicates that, “The malware is capable of blocking web traffic, collecting information that passes through home and office routers, and disabling the devices entirely…”.

This is a real threat that must be taken seriously and we recommend that you complete several tasks at once so as to protect yourself. The steps to take are as follows: reboot your router, check to see if router firmware upgrades are available and if so apply them at once, and then change your router admin password to a strong new password that is at least 8 positions in length and combines numerical digits with upper and lower case alpha characters. Do not confuse the admin password with the security key/passphrase that you use to gain wireless access to your home network. You do not have to change your existing security key/passphrase.

This information was reported in the New York Times on 5/28/2018 in an article dated 5/27/18 by Louis Lucero II.

Peter Cronas