24 million homes risk having broadband hacked, 85% Brits clueless about WiFi security
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24 million UK households could be at risk of broadband hacking, as only 15% of Brits say they are aware of potential security flaws
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Ten ways that criminals could hack into your router have been identified by cybersecurity experts at NordVPN
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More than 3,000 Brits were challenged to answer questions about broadband safety as part of NordVPN’s National Privacy Test report
More than 24 million households in Britain are at risk of broadband hacking after only 15% passed broadband security tests in an annual report by the cybersecurity experts at NordVPN.
Nearly nine in ten people (85%) failed to identify crucial security measures related to their broadband and Wi-Fi security in a survey of more than 3,000 Brits.
The results come as part of NordVPN’s annual National Privacy Test (NPT), which evaluates people’s cybersecurity, online privacy awareness, and educates the general public about cyber threats and the importance of data and information security in the digital age.
Says Marijus Briedis, Chief Technology Officer at NordVPN:
“There are at least ten ways that criminals are known to hack into Wi-Fi routers and you should not underestimate how clever these hackers can be when it comes to bypassing security flaws.
“Our research shows that Brits do not understand the methods used by hackers and we are on a mission to raise awareness of them.”
1. Exploiting vulnerabilities: Hackers take advantage of known security flaws in router firmware. They often target routers with outdated software that hasn’t been patched. You can log in to your router and see if it needs updating. This is particularly important for older routers. If you are unsure, check with your provider or request a new one if it is older than five years.
2. Password attacks: Some providers assign you a password based on a collection of letters and numbers which are often difficult to crack. However, brute force attacks to guess weak passwords can still happen, especially if the passwords haven’t been changed by users in years.
3. DNS hijacking: Once hackers gain access to your router they can alter its DNS settings to redirect traffic to malicious sites. These sites can then infect your device with malware and steal your data.
4. Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks: Using hacking tools, it is possible to intercept communication between the router and connected devices, which could also direct users to dangerous websites.
5. Remote management exploitation: Although rare, this is when criminals take advantage of enabled remote access features to gain control.
6. Malware: This is perhaps the most common tactic deployed to gain control of your broadband. The number one tool used by cybercriminals that we see internet users fall victim to is malware. Malware comes in all sorts of forms, but when it comes to your Wi-Fi safety, the malicious software can infect the router and gain unauthorised access.
7. Social engineering: This requires some form of interaction with the criminal, but we have seen users being tricked into revealing login credentials or installing malware over the phone or via email phishing.
8. Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF): The most complex form of broadband hacking exploits web interfaces to execute unauthorised commands when an authenticated user visits a malicious site. You may be logged into an online service that you use regularly, such as your online banking, but a scammer directs you to a malicious website that contains a hidden request to access your trusted service.
9. UPnP vulnerabilities: Again, this is a tech-heavy form of router hacking that is difficult to combat. It exploits flaws in Universal Plug and Play protocols to bypass firewall protections. If you do have concerns about your router security, your broadband provider will include this in any updates it provides.
10. Firmware overwriting: Replaces legitimate router firmware that you have installed with malicious versions. This is done through remote access so it is directly linked to hackers already gaining access to your router.
Marijus Briedis adds: “In our increasingly connected world, your home router serves as the primary gateway to the internet. It is clear why a cybercriminal would see your home Wi-Fi as a gateway to your personal data.
“Most Brits assume that this is an obscure method to steal your credentials, or they might believe that their broadband provider has got their backs. While some of these methods are indeed very sophisticated, even for a very tech-savvy criminal, don’t take that for granted. Like most broadband-enabled devices, routers need updating and it may surprise you how often routers need updating, especially if it’s not updating automatically.”
