The Hidden Threats of Router Malware

Malware can exist not just on your computer but also on your router. Malware is highly problematic as it can infect your router, slow your internet connection and steal data. If you find that your internet is slow and some websites deny you access despite having checked for viruses and updating your systems and programs, it may be the result of malware in the router. 

There are two reasons why cybercriminals target routers and the first is that all network traffic goes through these devices. The second reason is that you can’t scan a router with a regular antivirus. Malware that sets up shop in your router will have plenty of opportunities to attack and will also have way less of a chance of being detected or deleted. 

Cybercriminals can do a lot with an infected router, and the following are some of the threats you may experience:

A Botnet

Attackers can send myriads of requests to a particular website or online service to overload the targeted service to such an extent that it slows down and eventually fails. When an infected router joins a botnet, a network of devices will send requests to a specific website. Meanwhile, ordinary users whose routers are hijacked will experience slower internet speeds—their routers will be busy sending malicious requests. 

Data Theft

Certain route-infecting malware can steal your data which is very serious. Whether it’s payment data in online stores, credentials on social networks, or work documents by email, you send and receive significant amounts of essential and private information online. All of this will inevitably pass through your router. This data can be intercepted by malware during an attack and can fall right into the hands of a cybercriminal.

Spoof Websites

When malware is lodged in your router, it can redirect you to pages with ads or malicious sites instead of the ones you want to visit, and you will think you are accessing a legitimate website when in fact, you are not. When a router is infected, it can send requests to a fake server that will respond to your query with the IP address of a completely different site. All the data that is then entered on these fake pages will fall right into the hands of cybercrooks. 

Through “keylogging,” they can gain access to sensitive information and passwords.

Password Guessing

The admin password is used to get inside the router settings menu, and all routers of the same model generally have the same admin password in the factory settings. If a user does not change this setting, attackers can guess the password easily and infect your router. 

Vulnerability Exploitation

These are holes in your gateway to the internet through which all kinds of threats can stroll right into your home or corporate network. Such threats can also sit in the router itself, and detection is very challenging. 

Protecting your network is very important, and the experts at Point 2 Point Disaster Recovery Inc can provide you with more information. We provide server cloud backup services and are one of the top cloud backup providers. Whether you need azure backup servers or automatic data backup, we can help. Get in touch today at (514) 824-0213 for more information.