Thirteen of the most popular routers in the United States have been flagged as vulnerable by the FBI, as an urgent warning has been issued to the public to be aware of exploits that could leave you vulnerable to hacking and malware.
Most people browsing the internet these days is aware of the cybersecurity dangers that are present, even if they are becoming sophisticated enough to hide in something as normal as a USB cable.
However, some of the biggest dangers aren't actually found in the gadgets that you use, and are instead located in the devices that serve them - most notably the router that sends internet throughout your home.
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You might not have even considered it to be a possibility, but having an out of date router can actually lead to some of the more dangerous exploits, and a recent FBI flash bulletin has made that clearer than ever, as reported by Men's Journal.
The FBI has identified 13 of the most popular internet routers across the United States that have reached 'end of life' and are no longer receiving software support or patches to protect any vulnerabilities that occur.
"Threat actors are aware of these vulnerabilities and exploit them through various methods to install malware, set up a botnet, and sell proxy services," the urgent bulletin warns.
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As routers aren't something that you're actually interacting with directly, it can be near impossible for the average internet user to know when their device has been compromised, and that's why staying aware of warnings like this from the FBI remains essential to keeping your data secured.
Here are all of the potentially compromised routes that the FBI has identified to be at risk:
- Linksys E1200
- Linksys E2500
- Linksys E1000
- Linksys E4200
- Linksys E1500
- Linksys E3200
- Linksys E1550
- Linksys WRT320N
- Linksys WRT610N
- Linksys WRT310N
- Cradlepoint E300
- Cradlepoint E100
- Valet M10
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If you happen to have any of the thirteen routers listed above, the FBI primarily recommends that you should be replaced with newer models that have consistent support from its manufacturer. If that happens to not be an option, you are advised to disable remote administration and reboot the device, with the method for doing this different for each router.
Additionally, the FBI has urged people to report any incidents of suspicious activity, especially if you suspect that you have been a victim of a cyber attack or infiltration. This is vitally important to help prevent any further action, and could also assist you in dealing with the problem.