Plenty of outlets have report on the world of a rather filthy - sounding malware – thought to originate in Russia – that may have already infect hundreds of thousands of Internet routers up and down the country . The FBI , however , may have a surprisingly easy fixing for the problem : change your router off , then turn it on again .
The official FBI public service announcementexplainswhat this piece of malicious software is adequate to of . “ VPNFilter is able-bodied to render low office staff and dwelling office routers inoperable , ” it note , supply that “ the malware can potentially also collect selective information passing through the router . ”
It ’s not easy to discover , either . patently , identifying and valuate the meshing activity of the malware in head “ is complicated by its use of encoding and misattributable connection . ”
distinctly , it ’s a sophisticated man of tech ; the FBI impute the malware to “ alien cyber actors ” andThe New York Timesreports that it ’s of Russian origin , with theJustice Departmentlinking it to the Sofacy Group . Also known as Fancy Bear , this is the same Russian military intelligence federal agency vent that hack the DNC servers prior to the 2016 presidential election .
The FBI explains that “ the size and scope of the infrastructure impacted by VPNFilter malware is pregnant . The malware target router produced by several manufacturer and connection - attached computer storage twist by at least one manufacturer . ”
This sound both grim and complicated , which makes it all the more impressive that the irregular result to the problem may be deceivingly mere . “ The FBI recommends any owner of small office and menage office routers reboot the devices to temporarily disrupt the malware and aid the potential identification of infected devices , ” it says , almost nonchalantly .
ArsTechnicareports that afterwards " stages " of the malware , which steal data point and so on , are temporarily disable during a reboot . Upon rebooting , stage one calls out to the now - seized site for instruction , which allows the FBI to identify the infected gimmick .
They also rede mass to perhaps disable any distant management configurations on their equipment , make indisputable their countersign are solid , and to set off any encryption software if available . If you may , ensure the devices are operating the most up - to - escort version of the firmware .
According to theGuardian , the warning followed on from a late court order that permitted the FBI to take mastery of a site , one the hack plan to use to command the malware within the router . Although this ability has since been disabled , the routers still rest infected if no further action has been have on the part of the proprietor .
Far from just the US , by the way , infections have apparently been detected in at least 54 countries , with Ukraine thought to be the prime butt for the hacker .
