Broadband users advised to update routers

Networking hardware giant NETGEAR recently advised customers using its Wi-Fi routers to ensure their equipment was running the latest software available.

The company issued an urgent alert following discovery of a security vulnerability impacting some of the routers it supplies.

To answer the threat, the well-known technology brand produced updates that resolved the flaws that could potentially allow cyber criminals to intrude on private networks.

A successful entry by an attacker can result in a long list of unpleasant outcomes, from malicious pop-ups designed to lead users to fake websites where their credentials are harvested, to data theft, exposure of sensitive information, infected systems and expensive data breaches.

An online statement from the hardware company read:

“NETGEAR strongly recommends that you download the latest firmware as soon as possible. NETGEAR is not responsible for any consequences that could have been avoided by following the recommendations in this notification.”

The recent alert serves as an excellent reminder to all users to keep a watchful eye on the router they use to connect to the internet. It is critical that router software, just like all software used by enterprises (including operating systems), must be kept up to date to remain effective, as security patches are a common inclusion in upgrades and help firms stay protected from cybercrime.

Experts recommend that routers are always left active overnight. The reason for this is that most updates are released at this time, and companies using an automatic update setting will immediately benefit from any security releases included.