BleepingComputer.com: Router hijacking and Redirect issues

I have a log posted for action and, following the rules, I am changing nothing until a volunteer helps me. Thank you for having that service!

But in reading through some other log reslution theads, I am pretty sure we are going ot find out we have an issue with the router; in particular, the problem now (mildly) also affects my work-issued laptop, but only when I am using it at home. I have waited at work for it to happen so my IT person can look at it, but it never happens there.

So the home router is suspect.

And a lot of similar theads are acattered through the log threads and I see the volunteers over and over going through steps and ending up suspecting the router.

Would a generic protocol for resetting the router and then implementing a set of anti-malware actions be appropriate? I am not sure which to do first. Does setting a user name and password on the router essentially stop getting it rerouted and it no longer needs to be considered?

jaredmcdonnell, on 21 November 2010 - 11:58 AM, said:

Hello and welcome to Bleepingcomputer.

The answer to your question is YES.

Now depending on your router and what security protocol it has, you should use a different passphrase for wireless as often as every 30 days at the very least.

The wireless N routers are the best and latest routers out there.

G is Okay as well.

If your router is a B router, I would recommend an upgrade, most of those routers only use WEP as their best defense. WEP is very easy to crack.

WPA is the best.

There are two types of WPA.

WPA-PSK [TKIP]

WPA2-PSK [AES]

Both options above can be implemented at the same time.

Such as WPA-PSK & WPA2-PSK.

The passphrase should be at the very least 30 characters long and can be set to as many as 63.

Use a random passphrase rather than names or birth dates.

Here is an example of a very secure passphrase.

2wnY9$In3@hRbW8&m3Wo%f2NaW8$mME2IwZ$Lq0%

This passphrase would take quite some time to crack just as it is. But by some standards it is still considered rather weak.

Newer routers also have a feature built in, that ignores an access attempt, even if the correct passphrase is compromised or used.

Under Advance settings for Wireless you can use the wireless card access list option.

This option will have to be accessed through the routers firmware, then you have to click the wireless setup access list button, here, you can see a computer or wireless device that is attempting access to your router's wireless access. It lists it by computer name and MAC address. You have to add that computer's MAC address to the list and click apply.

If a device with an un-familure MAC address tries to gain access, it is denyed.

Hope this helps.

Bruce.