HardwareNetworkingUS Dept of Justice used existing router malware to quietly purge a Russia-backed ‘vast spearphishing’ botnet from devices in peoples' homesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

HardwareNetworkingUS Dept of Justice used existing router malware to quietly purge a Russia-backed ‘vast spearphishing’ botnet from devices in peoples' homesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: BeeBright via Getty Images)

3D illustration of a grid of black cpus with different IoT symbols, representing a botnet concept

To counter it,the DoJ cleverly used the same malware to hack back into the routers, copy and delete any stolen data, as well as remove the malicious scripts, and alter the routers’ firewalls to prevent any further remote management of them. To coin a simple phrase, it hacked the hack.

Your next machine(Image credit: Future)Best gaming PC: The top pre-built machines.Best gaming laptop: Great devices for mobile gaming.

Your next machine

(Image credit: Future)Best gaming PC: The top pre-built machines.Best gaming laptop: Great devices for mobile gaming.

(Image credit: Future)

Gaming PC group shot

Best gaming PC: The top pre-built machines.Best gaming laptop: Great devices for mobile gaming.

As one can’t always rely on the authorities to prevent one’s router from being used for criminal activities, there are simple steps that anyone running a small business or office from home can follow.

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It can be quite hard to tell if your router is infected with malware or not, but the above actions will certainly help to nip that in the bud. What are you waiting for?

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An illustration of a silhouetted thief in motion running while carrying a stolen fingerprint. This could represent individuality, identity, privacy concerns, or a concept of personal data being in motion or at risk. The combination of the human form with the unique identifier of a fingerprint offers a visual metaphor for themes such as identity theft, digital security, or the trace we leave behind in a digital age. The overall aesthetic is bold and dynamic, fitting for topics of cybersecurity, personal identity, or discussions about the intersection of humanity and technology.

Hackers hijack over 16,000 TP-Link network devices, creating a big ol' botnet that’s absolutely slamming Microsoft Azure accounts

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