FBI Issues Big Warning to Protect Your Home from Russian Hackers: Your Router is at Risk!

Erik Rosales : May 31, 2018
CBN News

The malware has already infected hundreds of thousands of devices.

(Washington, DC)—[CBN News] The FBI has issued a warning and is advising people to turn their routers off and back on again to help halt the spread of a dangerous piece of Russian malware. (Photo: WiFi router/Public Domain)

The software has infected hundreds of thousands of devices.

The FBI sent out a warning which states the Russians could use the routers to collect information by reading people's internet activity or to shut down their internet entirely.

"The malware is able to perform multiple functions, including possible information collection, device exploitation and blocking network traffic," the FBI said, adding the scope of the problem is "significant."

In response, the FBI recommends routers be restarted to temporarily disrupt the malware and aid in the potential identification of infected devices.

"Owners are advised to consider disabling remote management settings on devices and secure with strong passwords and encryption when enabled. Network devices should be upgraded to the latest available versions of firmware," the warning read.

Turning off the routers and then switching them back again—as well as updating the devices and ensuring that passwords are safe—could not only fix the problem but also allow authorities to track down where the problem has spread.

The FBI said so far, infections were detected in more than 50 countries.

An FBI official told CBN News the kinds of devices known to be affected by the hack were purchased at electronic stores or online.

However, the FBI was not ruling out the possibility that routers provided to customers by internet service companies could also be affected.

"The size and scope of the infrastructure by VPN Filter malware is significant," the FBI warned, adding that it is capable of rendering people's routers "inoperable."

It said the malware is hard to detect, due to encryption and other tactics.