The FBI and security researchers are advising that we should reboot our home and small business internet routers to remove malware (called VPNFilter) detected on over 500,000 routers. That’s right, just go home and turn your internet router off (or unplug its power supply), wait a few seconds, then turn it back on (or plug it back in).
This is not a gag from the old TV show The IT Crowd. This is a real FBI warning. The FBI warns that
“Foreign cyber actors have compromised hundreds of thousands of home and office routers and other networked devices worldwide. The actors used VPNFilter malware to target small office and home office routers. The malware is able to perform multiple functions, including possible information collection, device exploitation, and blocking network traffic.”
Turning your home or small office router off and back on again should clear the malware from your home network.
UD students, faculty, and staff can contact the IT Support Center (consult@udel.edu) with questions.