Most internet users don’t put much thought in to buying a Wi-Fi router, they go in the store and usually pick up of the most popular ones. It turns out that most of the best selling ones are actually not that secure. According to a new report, a startling majority of off the shelf Wi-Fi routers can easily be hacked by someone who knows what they’re doing. Independent Security Evaluators, a research firm based in Baltimore, made this revelation in a new report. They say that thirteen of the most popular off the shelf routers can easily be exploited by a “moderately skilled adversary with LAN or WLAN access.”
The company’s research also found that there were critical security vulnerabilities in nearly all devices which could be exploited by a remote adversary, which means that they could compromise your router or have unauthorized control over it. They’ve also detailed a fix for router manufacturers, since average users won’t be able to plug these holes on their own. Mitigation of such threats requires a level of sophistication and skill that is beyond most average users, who are more likely to become victims. The only way they can be safe is if router manufacturers started making more secure products.