Older routers can be dangerous and have security flaws

Many old routers are dangerous

There is no doubt that the router it is a fundamental piece for our day to day. It is what allows you to connect computers to the Internet and be able to manage domestic connections. However, when there is a security breach that affects these devices, all the others connected could be compromised.

A group of security researchers from Which ?, UK agency, has indicated that there are millions of home routers old that could be used by hackers. In particular, they have identified 13 older router models that are very popular both in the UK as well as in other European nations.

These router models were shipped to Red Maple Technologies, a company specializing in security, and found that at least 9 of them had major flaws. However, this can also be found in other less popular models that are also vulnerable.

Millions of users use these models of routers. Without a doubt one of the most important problems is that they do not receive updates. Faults are not corrected as they are older models. They saw that some models have been since 2018 and even since 2016 without receiving a single update.

Weak passwords and outdated encryption

But beyond the fact that the routers do not receive updates, a very present problem especially in these old models is that they do not have passwords that are really safe. Many users even keep the default password that came with the device.

The encryption It is also another issue to take into account, and that is that many of these devices use outdated encryption or are configured with them. A hacker with the right skills could break the password and gain access to the network without too much difficulty.

This makes it essential to use strong passwords, change them periodically and also focus on the type of encryption. There are ethical hacking distributions with which we can test our router and see possible weaknesses.

But also, it is essential to have them updated whenever possible. We have seen that some older routers no longer receive updates, but in case we can we must install them. We have to know the IP of the router and later access to configure it correctly, update it and carry out any changes to avoid problems.

In short, having a secure router is very important. We must avoid problems that can be exploited by hackers to launch their attacks. We have seen that especially the older models could be a danger and this allow the entry of cybercriminals who could control all the devices connected to the network and put our privacy at risk.