What the Tech: Malicious routers
CHARLOTTE, NC – The Department of Justice says it identified and removed malware from a state-sponsored Russian cyberterrorist organization, that targeted U.S. homes and businesses.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco explained, βFor the second time in two months, weβve disrupted state-sponsored hackers from launching cyber-attacks behind the cover of
compromised U.S. routers.β
The latest attacks targeted Ubiquiti Edge routers still using the default username and password that they came with. The cybercriminals could get the default passwords off the internet and
send malware to those routers. Any user who didnβt change the default password could have had their internet router compromised and used to further spread the malware to other homes and businesses.
Ubiquiti Edge routers are not as common as routers from Linksys, Netgear, and TP-link but many home and business owners who are tech-oriented favor them. The report from the DOJ doesnβt mean you shouldnβt use Ubiquiti routers. But you should reset the default password that it came with. And thatβs true for all internet and WiFi routers.
To change the password, open the routerβs app or go online to your account. Choose a new password thatβd be hard to guess. Choose a password that is at least 15
characters long, and is a mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special symbols. You wonβt have to remember the password and enter it often.
Itβs safer to write it down and hide it somewhere, like a book on the shelf. Many providers offer enhanced security to protect your network so contact your provider if you get stuck.
Every few months, turn off the router. Wait a few seconds and turn it back on. This will install any security updates. Not only will that keep your network safer, but itβll probably run faster with better coverage.
