4 ms·

Anyone else who thinks 900k routers, running 900k identical firmware versions, with 900k identical copies of any exploitable bugs, running on a predictable IP-r

by Aaargh20318 10y ago

Anyone else who thinks 900k routers, running 900k identical firmware versions, with 900k identical copies of any exploitable bugs, running on a predictable IP-range might be a bit of a problem, from a security PoV ? I wish ISP's stopped providing routers with their connections, if only to prevent this kind of dangerous monoculture.

Jdam 10y ago
900k devices is a monoculture, really? What about the billions of Windows & Linux powered devices out there? I bet with a Linux 0day, you can exploit 10s of billions of devices out there, including routers.
- Aaargh20318 10y ago
  > What about the billions of Windows & Linux powered devices out there? What about them ? Do they all have routable IP's or are they behind one of these cheap-ass routers.
  - Jdam 10y ago
    I guess forcing a heterogeneous router landscape to mitigate attack risks is called security through obscurity.
TorKlingberg 10y ago
Before they did everyone were running open wifi networks or had the default password. Which was great for freeloading off neighbors, but perhaps not for security.
noir_lord 10y ago
I flashed the router my ISP provided with dd-wrt because of this (and the fact I trust the dd-wrt team more than the routers stock firmware) since a monoculture is never a good thing.
Tomte 10y ago
At least in Germany, when people are buying their own equipment (not uncommon), 90% of them will choose a Fritz!Box from AVM. (Me too, in a few weeks)
- Merem 10y ago
  Yeah, but if you go with fiber, then you need the FRITZ!Box 5490 which is apparently only available through the provider (officially) but Telekom at least doesn't offer it.
  - astro1138 10y ago
    For Deutsche Telekom fiber you don't need no special router. Dial in with PPPoE over VLAN 7 similar to VDSL, minus the VDSL modem.
owenmarshall 10y ago
Some evidence to the contrary - Deutsche Telekom has already released a firmware update, and as they control the ecosystem they can likely deliver it down to their customers through a forced reboot. I'm not sure giving up control in this case is actually a benefit.

Jdam 10y ago

900k devices is a monoculture, really? What about the billions of Windows & Linux powered devices out there? I bet with a Linux 0day, you can exploit 10s of billions of devices out there, including routers.

Aaargh20318 10y ago
> What about the billions of Windows & Linux powered devices out there? What about them ? Do they all have routable IP's or are they behind one of these cheap-ass routers.
- Jdam 10y ago
  I guess forcing a heterogeneous router landscape to mitigate attack risks is called security through obscurity.

TorKlingberg 10y ago

Before they did everyone were running open wifi networks or had the default password. Which was great for freeloading off neighbors, but perhaps not for security.

noir_lord 10y ago

I flashed the router my ISP provided with dd-wrt because of this (and the fact I trust the dd-wrt team more than the routers stock firmware) since a monoculture is never a good thing.

Tomte 10y ago

At least in Germany, when people are buying their own equipment (not uncommon), 90% of them will choose a Fritz!Box from AVM. (Me too, in a few weeks)

Merem 10y ago
Yeah, but if you go with fiber, then you need the FRITZ!Box 5490 which is apparently only available through the provider (officially) but Telekom at least doesn't offer it.
- astro1138 10y ago
  For Deutsche Telekom fiber you don't need no special router. Dial in with PPPoE over VLAN 7 similar to VDSL, minus the VDSL modem.

owenmarshall 10y ago

Some evidence to the contrary - Deutsche Telekom has already released a firmware update, and as they control the ecosystem they can likely deliver it down to their customers through a forced reboot. I'm not sure giving up control in this case is actually a benefit.