Esme brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our website, specializing in all aspects of DarkWeb security. With a deep understanding of the intricate workings of the DarkWeb and its associated cybersecurity risks, Esme curates insightful and informative content for our readers.
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It is crucial to reset routers regularly to prevent security breaches and protect sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorized parties.
Neglecting this critical security measure could leave your organization open to potential attacks and financial losses. Therefore, it is important to prioritize cybersecurity in all aspects of your organization’s operations to ensure the protection of your valuable data and assets.
The Proper Measures Aren’t Taken
End-of-life enterprise routers are often resold or recycled without being reset, creating a security risk since they may contain sensitive information. ESET found that out of 18 used enterprise routers, only 5 were reset, and 13 still had valuable data. Companies must prioritize cybersecurity and wipe network equipment before reselling or recycling to prevent security breaches and financial losses.
ESET found that experts could determine the previous owners of nine vulnerable routers with a high degree of certainty based on the confidential corporate data present on the devices. This data included authentication credentials, such as IPSec and VPN, keys, passwords, and cloud application access, as well as detailed information about all clients and firewall rules. IPSec and VPN
Why Hackers Want Used Routers
ESET explains that attackers could use this information to impersonate network or internal hosts easily, given the authentication tokens and VPN credentials present on the routers, which are easy to hack. This study underscores the importance of wiping clean all network equipment before disposal or resale. Companies must prioritize cybersecurity protocols to avoid exposing sensitive information, which could lead to security breaches and financial losses.
The routers provided insights into the security posture of organizations based on the configuration of network equipment. ESET tried to warn previous owners of the risks, but some ignored the warning or used non-compliant disposal services. Resetting a router to factory settings is crucial to prevent attackers from compromising a live network. This straightforward action, which can be done easily by holding down the RESET button, should not be neglected.