AX86S AIProtection ?

[ccps]

Just bouoght the unit. First Asus router. Exploring the device and turned on the AIprotection feature (Trend Micro). From what I have discovered online is I should have a place in the firmware update section to update the trend Micro signature. I saw it on a YouTube video but was not sure it was the same model. I am on the latest firmware 3.0.0.4.388_22525. Am I missing this feature? Thx.

 

[bbunge]

Just bouoght the unit. First Asus router. Exploring the device and turned on the AIprotection feature (Trend Micro). From what I have discovered online is I should have a place in the firmware update section to update the trend Micro signature. I saw it on a YouTube video but was not sure it was the same model. I am on the latest firmware 3.0.0.4.388_22525. Am I missing this feature? Thx.

No. AiProtection will update automatically. You can also manually check by clicking the Check button to the right of Signature Version. Current version is 2.344.

 

[ccps]

Thats where I am at. thanks for the reply.

 

[Tech9]

Administration, Firmware Upgrade:

 

[Jbennett360]

I'll ask the question that's been asked a million times.

AiProtection. On or off?

Currently have it off

 

[ccps]

I turned it on just to see what the options were once on. I know these built in add ons are not always benificial. So whats the general concensus. On or off?

 

[Tech9]

So whats the general concensus.

There is no general consensus. It's a firmware option and some have it ON, others OFF. What you need to know is AiProtection, Apps Filter in Parental Controls, Traffic Analyzer, Apps analyzer, Adaptive QoS and Web history all use 3rd party TrendMicro engine and you have to agree to data sharing to TrendMicro in order to use the options. The modules are closed source and what exactly goes to TrendMicro is not very clear. The attached EULA has a long list of general statements covering more than one product. Similar to free anti-malware software you install on your PC - you have to share some data to receive some services. This is normal and common practice. What I personally don't like is the fact Asus never tells the users there is 3rd party involvement. Only after you buy the router you discover there is data sharing EULA and it applies for widely advertised firmware options.

I personally have one only Asus router in production, it performs limited duties in a remote location and has AiProtection ON. Any of the above options enabled activates TrendMicro data collection daemon and if your "privacy" is top priority you have to keep them all OFF. It's your choice.

 

[ccps]

LOL. I was just literally reading about what is collected and what won't work if I go into administration / privacy and withdraw for that particular data collection. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[bbunge]

On because once in a while it does catch and stop the bad actors.

 

[ccps]

I'm going to leave it on. The way things are going these days. Every little bit helps. Not that I am unaware of the intrusiveness of the data collection. At this point I don't know that it's possible to not be collected on at every corner. No matter how much we try to minimize it.

 

[Tech9]

Thanks for the heads up.

It wasn't like sharing a secret with you. The default configuration after factory reset is all TrendMicro components OFF. When user agreement is needed a pop-up screen tells you about it. Google, Apple, Microsoft already know about you as well as your ISP, mobile operators, some IoTs with cameras and microphones people voluntarily install in their homes. Just add TrendMicro to the list.

 

[ccps]

 

[nickie]

I have it on just for peace of mind, in addition to cloudflare and open dns family dns and all browsers with safe browsing on. Since January (the last time I had a clean configuration of the router) I have 0 hits on AiProtection, but will keep it on. Have a teenager at home with friends sending God knows what via the internet, so prefer to keep my network as secure as possible.

 

[Tech9]

Since January (the last time I had a clean configuration of the router) I have 0 hits on AiProtection, but will keep it on.

All modern browsers use Safe Browsing engine and you have to disable it in order to trigger some AiProtection response.

 

[nomadism]

Real answer, if you have any other security service running including using Cloudflare DNS, I would just leave AIProtection off. You’re basically trading one tracking service for another. It will also throw false positives

 

[Tech9]

You can have both. This is how many folks set their routers - filtering DNS service and AiProtection.

 

[bbunge]

Real answer, if you have any other security service running including using Cloudflare DNS, I would just leave AIProtection off. You’re basically trading one tracking service for another. It will also throw false positives

It ain't necessarily so... Have never had a false positive with AiProtection. And it does catch the occasional Two-Way IPS attack. Nothing wrong with layered protection.

 

[Jbennett360]

Enabled it to see how it goes.

Leaves the AX86s with roughly 60mb RAM free.

If you select withdraw from the Privacy section, does that automatically turn off/disable the AIProtection? Assuming it wouldn't continue to function afterwards?

 

[Tech9]

If you select withdraw from the Privacy section, does that automatically turn off/disable the AIProtection?

It turns off all TrendMicro related services listed on this very same Privacy page.

 

[Jbennett360]

Malicious sites blocking seems to have blocked a few domain requests. Could be FP's, or domains that have loaded within legit websites etc, nothing has triggered the main block page anyway.

Guess it's doing its job though