Linksys Smart Wi-Fi Firmware Shields Users From Vulnerabilities

A series of vulnerabilities in Linksys routers spotlighted by a researcher earlier this month have been addressed by a firmware update released last year.

Formerly owned by Cisco, the Linksys product line was sold to Belkin International in March. In a statement to SecurityWeek, a spokesperson for the Linksys brand said the new Linksys Smart Wi-Fi firmware was released to users of the EA routers last June.

“If customers use methods of setup and configuration other than the methods recommended by Linksys, such as using Web browser setup (192.168.1.1), or if customers use older firmware, they could be at risk of potential attacks,” the spokesperson said. “Accordingly, all Linksys EA customers are strongly encouraged to upgrade to the new Smart Wi-Fi firmware.”

The statement comes in response to the findings of researcher Phil Purviance, who published details on five Linksys router vulnerabilities last week.

“During my research process, I thought it would be good to take a look at how…[the devices] did in regards to securing their administration features,” Purviance blogged at the time. “I chose the Linksys EA2700 Network Manager N600 Wi_Fi Wireless-N Router because it is a major brand device, and was recently released in March 2012, making it an easy choice for home users looking for an easy to use home Wi-Fi router. I hooked it up and spent maybe 30 minutes testing the security of the embedded website used to manage the device, then never used it again.”

“It only took 30 minutes,” he added, “to come to the conclusion that any network with an EA2700 router on it is an insecure network!”

According to the Linksys spokesperson however, the upgrade eliminates the potential for any of the vulnerabilities Purviance found because it removes from the GUI the apply.cgi page that was vulnerable in the old firmware.

“Those EA router customers who have chosen to not receive automatic updates, or have not signed up for Smart Wi-Fi, were alerted to upgrade manually and are strongly encouraged to update their firmware to ensure that they have eliminated any potential issues relating to the alleged vulnerabilities,” the spokesperson said.