AV for Routers

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February 18th, 2009, 05:44 PM
phernandez

AV for Routers

Linksys and Trend Micro are prepping home routers bundled with security software. Smart move or unnecessary layer of security?

Trend Micro Router Develops Router Anti-virus - Enterprise IT Planet

Quote:

Trend Micro's new software for routers, dubbed Home Network Defender, will initially work on a few models from Cisco Systems Inc's Linksys division. New routers will be sold bundled with 30-day trial subscriptions to the service, while Linksys customers who have already bought those models can download trial software over the Internet.

...Each subscription to Home Network Defender, which sells for $60 a year, includes subscriptions for Trend's traditional PC anti-virus software for four machines.
February 18th, 2009, 09:12 PM
dinowuff

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Software for routers. God my side aches from LOL ing soo much.

Sad part is, I wish I had thought of that. Even with royalties I'd be a gazillionare.

ANtivirus software on a router.... I've seen it all
February 19th, 2009, 09:57 AM
instronics

I wonder why my paranoia levels tell me that this is an interesting idea. Although it also tells me to stay away from it :D

Im also thinking of advising my customers not to use those new Core i7 cpus.

Am i the only one whos being paranoid about it? Do i need help?

(I bet Nihil might understand what i mean in general here :p )
February 19th, 2009, 08:25 PM
dinowuff

Quote:

Originally Posted by instronics

I wonder why my paranoia levels tell me that this is an interesting idea. Although it also tells me to stay away from it :D

Im also thinking of advising my customers not to use those new Core i7 cpus.

Am i the only one whos being paranoid about it? Do i need help?

(I bet Nihil might understand what i mean in general here :p )

Nope - you're right on target. The force is strong with you - trust your instincts
February 19th, 2009, 09:37 PM
Cider

Software for routers? Since when do they get infected, or um, will the app sit on the router versus the PC / laptop?
February 20th, 2009, 04:51 AM
brokencrow

Why is anyone surprised?

Linksys supported Zonealarm Pro to manage firewall features
on their routers a few years back. If you can filter spam on
a gateway, why not viruses or spyware?
February 20th, 2009, 03:56 PM
dinowuff

Inside or Outside the gateway is perfectly fine. In fact all my AV and Spam stuff is done BEFORE the gateway.

NEVER ON THE GATEWAY!

The router is there for one reason and one reason only. To route traffic.
February 20th, 2009, 05:19 PM
ByTeWrangler

MOney MoNey MoNey.. :)
February 20th, 2009, 09:52 PM
Nokia

I can see the reasoning behind it but no one is going to completely do-away with a desktop AV just because the have one on their router/firewall (expect for you dino :p ). It may protect against threats from the Internet but if anything gets past it, or is introduced to the network internally, then a desktop AV would still be needed to offer any form of protection. So I can't completley see the point of it.

For the price of a years subscription though (I think the article said $60 per year) I can see a fair amount of companies making use of it - SOHO style ones probably.

Would be interesting to see the overhead that the software puts on the router and if it affects routing speed etc.
February 21st, 2009, 05:00 AM
brokencrow

SOHO's indeed. Nope, won't replace desktop AV, but we all know desktop AV's
need all the help they can get. Viruses ain't going away.
February 21st, 2009, 06:25 PM
nihil

It isn't a new idea IIRC.

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=197458

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop...ProductID=2922

http://www.firewallguide.com/broadband.htm

:)
February 23rd, 2009, 06:46 AM
HTRegz

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinowuff

Inside or Outside the gateway is perfectly fine. In fact all my AV and Spam stuff is done BEFORE the gateway.

NEVER ON THE GATEWAY!

The router is there for one reason and one reason only. To route traffic.

I think you're confusing a home network and a "real network"... I mean those devices aren't even really routers... They are poorly named NAT devices. If they were real routers you could layer them behind each other and everything would go off without a hitch... that isn't the case :).

I actually really like the idea of incorporating AV into the home "router". They're already responsible for so many other things (DHCP, DNS, "Routing", Filtering), why not add AV to the mix.

Personally I'll stick with my install of m0n0wall and no AV... but to each their own.