Empower Information Systems

Hack lets intruders sneak into home routers
If you haven’t changed the default password on your home router, let this recent threat serve as a reminder.

I read an article today that I think is very important for all Empower customers and any user of a home based, consumer classed router, wired or wireless. The article was listed on Cnets news.com and is linked here. The basics of the article are that many home users and telecommuters have consumer based routers that are cheap, easy to install, easy to use and easy to maintain. One of the largest issues we at Empower Information Systems come accross with these types of routers are that one, the user does not implement any type of data encryption and two, users at times tend to keep the default password.

If you fall into either one of the above or both categories, read this article carefully so you may understand the danger you are putting yourself in. Then, as soon as you finish with the article, encrypt your router and change the default password. 

The article basics were take from a study performed by Sid Stamm of Indiana University, Bloomington and Zulfikar Ramzan with Symantec. The article in breif, states “Attackers could change the configuration of home routers using JavaScript code, security researchers at Indiana University and Symantec have discovered. The researchers first published their work in December, but Symantec publicized the findings on Thursday.

The researchers found that it is possible to change the DNS, or Domain Name System, settings of a router if the owner uses a connected PC to view a Web page with the JavaScript code. This DNS change lets the attacker divert all the Net traffic going through the router. For example, if the victim types in “http://www.mybank.com/,” the request could be sent to a similar-looking fake page created to steal sensitive data. ” To review the article in full, click the link [Hack lets intruders sneak into home routers]

Please heed the warnings above, and change your default password and encrypt your router!!