Bypassing Routers!?

[CXGJarrod]

Originally posted here by IFixDaWindoze
There are a ton of lists out there listing the default passwords for every piece of hardware and software under the sun.......makes you wonder just how hard it really is to get into Joe User's home network.....

Yes, but unless you enable the remote administration, then they cannot access your box even with a password. (At least with the Linksys boxes)

[Tiger Shark]

There are two things you need to know about these kinds of router/firewall, (Linksys, Dlink and any other of the consumer grade NAT routers). Firstly they are exactly that... consumer grade. They are designed to protect, as best as possible, from the "easy" attacks. But they, for the sake of ease of use, do not deny any outbound connection. Thus, if the user self infects with a "call home" functioning Trojan/malware the router is going to allow the outbound connection.... That isn't good..... But it is better than having the computer available for the whole world to see and attack.

Secondly, these routers tend not to be stateful. Stateful is a router that compares the connection state with a state table of internally initiated connections to confirm that the incoming packets really belong to a "legal" connection. Many of these routers don't do this. So, technically, it would be possible to bypass one of these routers..... However, while it may be possible there would have to be a series of circumstances and knowledge of current connections outbound by and attacker in order to successfully exploit this "hole" that it is practically impossible, (with emphasis on the "practically").

IME and IMO, these consumer grade router/firewalls are an excellent, cost effective, solution to many of the security woes faced on the internet.... It's only a matter of time before the lawyers realize there is money to be had by suing the little people who do not secure in any way their high speed connections and become part of an attackers "inventory" of zombie machines that await his/her "call".

[paulie walnuts]

Good information Tiger Shark!

This has given me a better perspective on this topic.