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Author Topic: Routers - How secure?  (Read 1917 times)

Weaver

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  • Retd s/w dev; A&A; 4x7km ADSL2 lines; Firebrick
Re: Routers - How secure?
« Reply #15 on: June 07, 2021, 10:24:44 AM »

Way back then I used to run Windows Server 2003 on my large Dell workstation, just because it came with a somewhat hardened security configuration. That was even before DSL, to begin with.
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bob.gas

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Re: Routers - How secure?
« Reply #16 on: June 07, 2021, 10:39:27 AM »

Bob
What hardware have you got?
I guess its a mix of computers and WiFi devices


Hi SE.

my PC is an oldy I'm afraid (not sure if that'll make a difference or not?)
It's a Dell Optiplex 790.
It's a refurb, as when my other PC died I couldn't afford a brand new one, so took a chance on the Dell.
it's been fine to date (fingers crossed)

Spec....
Intel Core i5 2400 @ 3.10GHz
238GB Hitachi HX256GSSDSATA3 (SATA (SSD)
16GB Ram

A Talk talk Router wired to PC.

Canon Printer also wired

The only other wireless items is an Amazon Echo Dot and me & my wife phones.

   
« Last Edit: June 07, 2021, 10:43:49 AM by bob.gas »
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Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you'#039#039re a mile away and you have their shoes

bob.gas

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Re: Routers - How secure?
« Reply #17 on: June 07, 2021, 10:48:08 AM »

Just to add...
Thanks, guys for all your post's so far.
I'm afraid a lot of it is way over my head right now, so sorry if I haven't answered correctly (or at all)
I need to sit down and Google all the acronyms etc and educate myself. lol
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Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you'#039#039re a mile away and you have their shoes

Weaver

  • Senior Kitizen
  • ******
  • Posts: 11459
  • Retd s/w dev; A&A; 4x7km ADSL2 lines; Firebrick
Re: Routers - How secure?
« Reply #18 on: June 07, 2021, 01:52:23 PM »

Any questions about acronyms and TLAs, do just ask. There will always be someone else who will benefit. Everyone had to start somewhere.
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dslexpert

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Re: Routers - How secure?
« Reply #19 on: June 07, 2021, 02:11:30 PM »


The risk to routers is less likely to be a fault in the firewall's design but in the implementation. i.e. having a 'firewall' isn't any good if the firewall or its host device has a vulnerability.   It's impossible to make a product vulnerability free.  Some vendors may have vulnerabilities discovered or fixed more often than others (though that may relfect their popularity/market size rather than coder competence).   Vulnerabilities on routers can be caused by:

1. A coding error so that it doesn't work as designed.   Routers which use opensource or an easily decompiled code binary make it easy for a hacker to study the code and identify vulnerabilities.  That is a double edged sword - white hats can find laws but so can black hats.  Source examination or reverse engineering aren't the only methods though; some flaws are discovered by 3rd parties by trial and error.
2. Default WAN admin access.  Remote admin should be done through a VPN whenever possible (and if not, at least through a TLS/HTTPS connection).
3. A default admin password where the user is not encouraged to change it.  This is more likely a problem on ISP supplied routers where the router is pre-configured so they have no need to ever visit the router's GUI - it's plug and play so the user would never think of it.
4. Backdoor admin access. That makes the vendor's support easier, but also a hacker's access.
5. A flaw in a necessary industry standard protocol.  This isn't an error by the vendor but by the designers of a protocol that they need to follow (e.g. WEP).  In some cases it was an 'acceptable' flaw at the time of design because cracking it was impractical or impossible but a decade later, cracking older protocols becomes feasible with newer methods and greater consumer processing power.
6. Having ports 'open' isn't in itself a vulnerability.  It may identify an endpoint for a hacker but that's it so when GRC or whatever warns you that a service/port is "open" it just means 'responding'.  Your doorbell doesn't open your front door :-)
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