How to Fix Security Bugs in Your Old Router
If an attacker manages to gain access to the login screen of your D-Link router, and your router is old enough, it may be possible to take control of the router, enter it with a code, and use it to attack other connected systems and devices. And what’s the best part? D-Link is fully aware of these issues but has no plans to fix the affected routers because they are too old.
This is a common problem in the wireless world. While D-Link provides us with the last example, unsecured vulnerabilities in older routers can affect devices from any manufacturer.
Regarding the D-Link issue that ThreatPost alerted us to , the vulnerability applies to any of the following D-Link routers :
- DIR-866
- DIR-655
- DIR-1565
- DIR-652
- DAP-1533
- DGL-5500
- DIR-130
- DIR-330
- DIR-615
- DIR-825
- DIR-835
- DIR-855L
- DIR-862
Your router is vulnerable. Now what?
Are these scary ads enough for you to hack into your piggy bank and spend your vacation fund buying a new router? I am afraid of this.
If you’re still using an older wireless-n router like the D-Link DIR-615, it’s probably time to upgrade to something more modern. You can get a great wireless AC router for under $ 60 , which should give most new smartphones and laptops an even more reliable wireless connection. (This may not make much of a difference in your day-to-day life if you’re paying for slow internet speeds, but at least you should be able to get a reliable browsing experience over a potentially longer range.)
I recommend buying a new router, which is also fairly new, to ensure that the manufacturer continues to support it over the next few years. To help you make an informed decision, review the manufacturer’s end-of-life policy, if available (such as D-Link ). This is important because you don’t want to be back in the same boat – dealing with vulnerabilities that the company won’t fix – because you’ve “upgraded to an older router.”
But I don’t want to buy a new router
If your old router doesn’t bother you and you find that your wireless connection is all you need where you live, the best way to stay safe is to make sure you are using the latest firmware you can find for yours. router . You might even consider a third-party firmware like DD-WRT or OpenWrt if they can close any security holes that your manufacturer refuses to fix.
You will also want to make sure that your router’s web administration screen, if any, is protected by a strong password that you do not use with other services. And I can’t stress enough this: turn off remote management on your router . Not all routers have this feature, and it’s usually not enabled by default if they are, but you shouldn’t be using it, period.
Likewise, if your router uses UPNP, allows you to access it from afar via SSH, or has some kind of built-in FTP server, you should probably disable those services as well. WPS too, as well as any cloud management. And make sure you are using WPA2 encryption for your Wi-Fi password. If you’re still using WEP, or your router doesn’t even offer WPA2, it’s time to change that (or upgrade).
Also, make sure you use common sense when surfing the net. I doubt you will come across code that exploits a vulnerability in your router when you chat with your Facebook friends, but it might not be a good idea to spend time searching sketchy sites looking for hacked games or apps. Just in case, update the firmware of the connected devices, software and scanning tools for viruses and malware, but this should be what you do anyway, regardless of whether the router is vulnerable or not.
Remember, you can probably turn your old router into an access point and get even better Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home, so buying a new router doesn’t mean your old router will go to a huge recycling heap in the sky. Even if you don’t need or want to configure a secondary AP, it never hurts to have a backup in case your new router unexpectedly fails.