Netgear router security flaws if only used as access points

[Charles Martorelli]

I have read the recient artical about the vulnerability with netgear routers.
https://www.tomsguide.com/news/netgear-security-firmware-patches
I have two netgear R7000 running older firmware V1.0.9.42_10.2.44. I do not upgrade because every newer verson of firmware makes my routers become unstable. I do not use them as routers, I have an Edge Router X as my router, but I do use the nighthawks as my wifi access points, after the Edge router. So am I secure since my traffic is going throught the edge router first?

 

[CrystalLattice]

I have read the recient artical about the vulnerability with netgear routers.
https://www.tomsguide.com/news/netgear-security-firmware-patches
I have two netgear R7000 running older firmware V1.0.9.42_10.2.44. I do not upgrade because every newer verson of firmware makes my routers become unstable. I do not use them as routers, I have an Edge Router X as my router, but I do use the nighthawks as my wifi access points, after the Edge router. So am I secure since my traffic is going throught the edge router first?

No, you are not secure overall, as the assigned IPs of your routers can be accessed from the WAN, LAN, or LAN wireless sides. Please find an alternative firmware that proports to be safe and install on your APs. While you're at it, install an alternative firmware on your ERX gateway router. To be even more safe, use a managed switch after your ERX with appropriate settings, as an additional level L2 or L3 layer of security. I hesitate to mention alternative firmwares here because there are some who object vehemently to using logic(common sense) to thwart hackers and bots.

ps: many here will object to the thought of security flaws in netgear, asus, cisco, or other routers, be aware.

 

[Deleted member 22229]

I have two netgear R7000 running older firmware V1.0.9.42_10.2.44.

NO, It's not safe you need to at least be running 1.0.2.68 on the 7800's. Or try Voxel's latest firmware i was told he has fixed the security issues in his build for the 7800.

 

[Val D.]

as the assigned IPs of your routers can be accessed from the WAN

What the firewall on this ER-X is used for?

many here will object to the thought of security flaws

I'll give you both public IP of a common consumer router and the internal IP of an attached device. You want to try?

 

[ColinTaylor]

NO, It's not safe you need to at least be running 1.0.2.68 on the 7800's.

But he doesn't have a R7800 he has a R7000 which is only listed as vulnerable to this. So he's already on the minimum required release:

R7000, running firmware versions prior to 1.0.9.42

 

[e38BimmerFN]

He seems to have the R7000 which Voxel doesn't support for FW.

NO, It's not safe you need to at least be running 1.0.2.68 on the 7800's. Or try Voxel's latest firmware i was told he has fixed the security issues in his build for the 7800.

 

[Charles Martorelli]

What the firewall on this ER-X is used for?

I use the ER-X firewall as my firewall DHCP server etc., I got the ER-X because I knew I would not be upgrading the Netgear routers. I have not been able to get any of the newer firmwares to work reliably. The R7000's just give me wifi access. With the ER-X I thought I would be taking a step up in security.

 

[e38BimmerFN]

You may want to update your R7000s to latest FW to be running what NG has to offer:
https://kb.netgear.com/000061067/R7000-Firmware-Version-1-0-9-88

I wouldn't presume to think that "many users" object to NetGear and other router mfrs not having any vulnerabilities. No body knows that others think. There made by humans. Humans are not perfect so routers will have flaws. Lets try to help protect against them though.

 

[Val D.]

With the ER-X I thought I would be taking a step up in security.

And it does the job very well. Don't worry about the access points.

 

[vit5421]

Does it mean that stock wifi only AP for r7800 with Netgear 1.0.2.68 will have same security and performance as latest Voxel build? Or Voxel will be more secure even with 3.4 kernel?
I have kong OpenWrt based main wired r7800 with 4.14 kernel and SQM.

 

[Tume]

Does it mean that stock wifi only AP for r7800 with Netgear 1.0.2.68 will have same security and performance as latest Voxel build? Or Voxel will be more secure even with 3.4 kernel?
I have kong OpenWrt based main wired r7800 with 4.14 kernel and SQM.

No. Voxel one is more up to date and then also more secure than NG own FW.

 

[vit5421]

No. Voxel one is more up to date and then also more secure than NG own FW.

Thank you but can you be more specific regarding AP wifi only? What is up to date for AP mode?