OT - FBI to America: Reboot Your Routers, Right Now

[PS4814]

Posting for visibility.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/security/a20918611/vpnfilter-malware-reboot-router/

The FBI has issued a dire warning to everyone who has a router in their home. The Internet Crime Complaint Center sent a rare Public Service Announcement declaring: "Foreign cyber actors have compromised hundreds of thousands of home and office routers and other networked devices worldwide."

The hackers are using VPNFilter malware to target small office and home office routers, the FBI said. "VPNFilter is able to render small office and home office routers inoperable," the FBI warns. "The malware can potentially also collect information passing through the router. Detection and analysis of the malware’s network activity is complicated by its use of encryption."

The feds recommends "any owner of small office and home office routers reboot the devices to temporarily disrupt the malware and aid the potential identification of infected devices." They also advise to consider disabling remote management settings on devices, use encryption, upgrade firmer and choose new and different passwords, which is pretty much best practice anyway

 

[Fayette_LION]

Posting for visibility.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/security/a20918611/vpnfilter-malware-reboot-router/

The FBI has issued a dire warning to everyone who has a router in their home. The Internet Crime Complaint Center sent a rare Public Service Announcement declaring: "Foreign cyber actors have compromised hundreds of thousands of home and office routers and other networked devices worldwide."

The hackers are using VPNFilter malware to target small office and home office routers, the FBI said. "VPNFilter is able to render small office and home office routers inoperable," the FBI warns. "The malware can potentially also collect information passing through the router. Detection and analysis of the malware’s network activity is complicated by its use of encryption."

The feds recommends "any owner of small office and home office routers reboot the devices to temporarily disrupt the malware and aid the potential identification of infected devices." They also advise to consider disabling remote management settings on devices, use encryption, upgrade firmer and choose new and different passwords, which is pretty much best practice anyway

The FBI probably is spying more than any Ruskies.

 

[BobPSU92]

 

[GreggK]

The FBI probably is spying more than any Ruskies.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Nitt1300]

The FBI probably is spying more than any Ruskies.

but FOR us, unlike the Ruskies or the Trumpskies

 

[demlion]

Posting for visibility.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/security/a20918611/vpnfilter-malware-reboot-router/

The FBI has issued a dire warning to everyone who has a router in their home. The Internet Crime Complaint Center sent a rare Public Service Announcement declaring: "Foreign cyber actors have compromised hundreds of thousands of home and office routers and other networked devices worldwide."

The hackers are using VPNFilter malware to target small office and home office routers, the FBI said. "VPNFilter is able to render small office and home office routers inoperable," the FBI warns. "The malware can potentially also collect information passing through the router. Detection and analysis of the malware’s network activity is complicated by its use of encryption."

The feds recommends "any owner of small office and home office routers reboot the devices to temporarily disrupt the malware and aid the potential identification of infected devices." They also advise to consider disabling remote management settings on devices, use encryption, upgrade firmer and choose new and different passwords, which is pretty much best practice anyway

So, what? Unplug it for a half hour?

 

[Carl Spackler]

Non-politically Carl thinks that as the good ole USA has interfered in elections of foreign nations up to and incl. the point of "removing" candidates from the race why are we so fiendishly shocked that the Ruskie's are tying to do the same here. We've done it worldwide for who knows how long as have other nation's to us and each other. That's the way the world turns. To get caught at it by the nations offended is not supposed to happen, thus the "gate" added to the end of the crime.' It's a nasty world we live in said Charlie Brown as the football once again is pulled from his kicking foot. Pres. Obama scolded Pres. Trump accurately noting that our elections couldn't possibly be tampered with successfully due to the diffused manner in which they are conducted. Successfully being the key term, not tampered with as the media fixates upon.

IF we would move to an internet, computer style of voting that concept is out the window real and very concerning as noted above, malware, tampering, etc. is a real possibility, from anywhere in the world right to your local voting booth. Secret ballot, that would be history.

 

[MtNittany]

So, what? Unplug it for a half hour?

Try to tow it down the driveway. That'll fix it.

 

[Delco Lion]

Router? I'm more concerned about the black helicopter that circles over my house 24/7.

 

[LurkerLazarus]

Router? I'm more convened about the black helicopter that circles over my house 24/7.

That's CR66. As soon as you leave the house, he's stealing your air conditioner.

 

[brupsu]

Not all routers are involved.There are some lists out there of the vulnerable ones.

 

[Nitt1300]

I rebooted mine, from an abundance of caution. Can one of you tech savvy people explain why doing this helps? And is it something you should do regularly?

Le't pretend for just a moment that I'm not a computer scientist, so English would be good.

 

[Art]

I rebooted mine, from an abundance of caution. Can one of you tech savvy people explain why doing this helps? And is it something you should do regularly?

Le't pretend for just a moment that I'm not a computer scientist, so English would be good.

The malware installed on the modem is non-persistent i.e. it disappears when the power is shut-off.

 

[Nitt1300]

The malware installed on the modem is non-persistent i.e. it disappears when the power is shut-off.

so is it your understanding that a reboot is a once and done, we're ok now thing?

 

[LurkerLazarus]

I think the jist of it is that you should reboot with some regularity. Daily, weekly, etc.

 

[Nitt1300]

I think the jist of it is that you should reboot with some regularity. Daily, weekly, etc.

thanks- I sort of suspected that would have to be the case

 

[MJG-90]

I’ve been told using a VPN makes home networks more secure. Any truth to that? Also, any thoughts on mesh networks such as google WiFi or eero?

 

[Woodpecker]

I think that fate (God, destiny, Kismet: whatever your beliefs [coincidence for Felli]) may have stepped in when we lost our power at 6AM (we got some rain this morning in Bucks county)

 

[fairgambit]

I wanted to be sure my computer was not compromised and that I would have no problems going forward, so I used the Gambit Method to deal with this problem. I'm pretty sure I disrupted any malware.

 

[Thorndike2012]

At this point the entire Justice Department has zero, as in NO, credibility. I'll take my chances with the 'hackers.'

 

[Art]

I think the jist of it is that you should reboot with some regularity. Daily, weekly, etc.

Depends on the type of router you have. Some aren't vulnerable and need no reboot at all.

 

[rudedude]

Our router crapped out this AM. Out getting a Gambit Enterprises router. Only $1500!!!

 

[demlion]

At this point the entire Justice Department has zero, as in NO, credibility. I'll take my chances with the 'hackers.'

Hahahahaha! Good luck, Jethro.

 

[PSU1985]

I rebooted mine, from an abundance of caution. Can one of you tech savvy people explain why doing this helps? And is it something you should do regularly?

Le't pretend for just a moment that I'm not a computer scientist, so English would be good.

Thanks for getting out there and asking the question us "more mature" people are thinking.

 

[fairgambit]

Our router crapped out this AM. Out getting a Gambit Enterprises router. Only $1500!!!

We appreciate your business.

 

[BBrown]

I think the jist of it is that you should reboot with some regularity. Daily, weekly, etc.

Thats probably good advice anyway, whether there is malware or not.
Also is it just a reboot or a full factory restore?

 

[HazletonLion]

Thanks for getting out there and asking the question us "more mature" people are thinking.

To add to that does non - persistent mean the potential is there, sort of sleeping, making it easier to be hacked. I take it like someone has a key to your house, but hasn't decided to check you place out. Am i kind of correct on this , like the fellow laymen here , i'm not a techie just trying to make logic.

 

[Art]

To add to that does non - persistent mean the potential is there, sort of sleeping, making it easier to be hacked. I take it like someone has a key to your house, but hasn't decided to check you place out. Am i kind of correct on this , like the fellow laymen here , i'm not a techie just trying to make logic.

Once it's gone, it's gone, but it could be reinstalled. To use your analogy, change your locks. Check to see if you have a vulnerable router, there are lists out there, and replace it.

 

[91Joe95]

Does this mean we can't visit porn sites? Asking for a friend.

 

[Art]

Does this mean we can't visit porn sites? Asking for a friend.

Your friend can visit porn sites as long as they aren't Russian ones.

 

[Nitt1300]

At this point the entire Justice Department has zero, as in NO, credibility. I'll take my chances with the 'hackers.'

I can think of people who have a lot less

 

[Sharkies]

Jokes on them, I have to constantly reboot the router cuz the internets out. You'd think if you could program a malware bot, you could have it survive a simple router reboot, but what do I know?

 

[interrobang]

Rebooting does not get rid of it.

https://www.symantec.com/blogs/threat-intelligence/vpnfilter-iot-malware