FBI Warning: These Wi-Fi Routers Are Vulnerable
▼ Summary
– The FBI warns that using older, end-of-life Wi-Fi routers from the late 2000s/early 2010s puts users at risk of cyber attack.
– These outdated routers are vulnerable because they no longer receive critical software updates or security patches from manufacturers.
– Cybercriminals exploit known flaws in these devices to install malware, gain control, and add them to botnets.
– The compromised routers in botnets are used to launch coordinated attacks or are sold as proxy access to other criminals.
– Specific vulnerable models named by the FBI are legacy Linksys routers, including the E1200, E2500, E4200, WRT320N, and M10.
If you have an older wireless router in your home, the FBI is urging you to take immediate action. Outdated routers that no longer receive security updates are prime targets for cybercriminals, leaving your personal data and network vulnerable to attack. This warning specifically targets models manufactured over a decade ago, which have reached their end-of-life and lack ongoing manufacturer support.
Once a router stops getting software patches, it becomes an easy mark for hackers. These threat actors exploit well-known security weaknesses to install malicious software, gain complete control of the device, and secretly add it to a botnet. A botnet is a collection of hijacked devices that can be used to launch large-scale cyberattacks or sold as a proxy service to other criminals.
The FBI has identified several legacy models as being at high risk. The listed devices are all from Linksys and include specific versions like the E1200 from 2011, the E2500 also from 2011, the E4200 (2011), the WRT320N (2009), and the M10 (2010). If you are still using one of these routers, it is strongly recommended that you replace it with a modern, supported model to protect your home network.
(Source: SLASHGEAR)
