A recent network security study conducted by Independent Security Evaluators (ISE) found that thirteen common home/small business routers contain security holes. They announced that the devices tested could be easily accessed by a hacker if they had access credentials.

The routers chosen for the study include some of the world’s most popular brands- Linksys, Belkin, Netgear, Verizon and D-Link to name a few. Although the latest firmware was used in the study, all devices were configured to the average “out-of-box” settings.  ISE stated that users have few options for mitigating attacks, as it requires a level of networking knowledge beyond that of the average consumer. In other words, hackers can intercept traffic on any given network and view the information if it is not encrypted.

Other damaging side-effects can be suffered through breached network security.  For instance, ISPs deploying large numbers of vulnerable routers can potentially provide hackers with access into their own core infrastructure.  Sniffing and Rerouting of non-SSL traffic, tampering with DNS settings and initiating dispersed denial-of-service attacks are also plausible dangers of hacker intervention.

ISE has advised router manufacturers to upgrade susceptible hardware and contact their registered users with instructions on how to upgrade their network security.  iPoint’s iNetwork Monitor works the same way, monitoring for breached security holes, upgrades and functionality constantly on a 24/7/365 basis.  Contact our Networking Department today to learn more.