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+--- Thread: Russians hack home internet connections – here's how to protect yourself (/thread-5285.html)
Russians hack home internet connections – here's how to protect yourself - C C - May 4, 2018
http://theconversation.com/russians-hack-home-internet-connections-heres-how-to-protect-yourself-95907
EXCERPT: In late April, the top federal cybersecurity agency, US-CERT, announced that Russian hackers had attacked internet-connected devices throughout the U.S., including network routers in private homes. Most people set them up – or had their internet service provider set them up – and haven’t thought much about them since. But it’s the gateway to the internet for every device on your home network, including Wi-Fi connected ones. That makes it a potential target for anyone who wants to attack you, or, more likely, use your internet connection to attack someone else.
[...] we know that hackers can take control of many routers, because manufacturers haven’t set them up securely. Router administrative passwords often are preset at the factory to default values that are widely known, like “admin” or “password.” By scanning the internet for older routers and guessing their passwords with specialized software, hackers can take control of routers and other devices. Then they can install malicious programs or modify the existing software running the device. There’s a wide range of damage that a hacker can do once your router has been hijacked.
[...] An expert with complex technical tools may be able to discover whether your router has been hacked, but it’s not something a regular person is likely to be able to figure out. Fortunately, you don’t need to know that to kick out unauthorized users and make your network safe. The first step is to try to connect to your home router....
MORE: http://theconversation.com/russians-hack-home-internet-connections-heres-how-to-protect-yourself-95907