RT-AC87U AiProtection

[FlipFlop]

It might not be a scoop, but for me it came as a very unpleasant surprise that not just the domain and path are sent to check, but also the entire querystring. And that seconds or minutes later a Trend Micro bot visits that complete URL, including possible session tokens. This Trend Micro visit with your data can even mess stuff up on some websites or specific webapplications.

Anyway, it's an answer to the OP that AiProtection is not just based on a blacklist but that all visits are sent to Trend Micro and they follow your trail/mimic your traffic exactly to determine if a site is malicious or not.

 

[W4RH34D]

Yet people are fine with anti-virus running in your system with the same capabilities. It makes sense, and is the exact behavior I have when someone calls me about a bad website. I go there too! LOL What's funny is that now, when I go to a website that someone is having trouble with, I get an email saying what's up instead of some antivirus not saying peep and making you think your internet connection or firewall is busted.

Everyone makes the own decision, an even without AiProtection, these units are great. But the AiProtection was exactly why I upgraded. I agree with the philosophy behind the approach.

 

[BeachBum]

Hello all, first post here...

I have just purchased a Asus AC-3200 router yesterday. When I switched on the AiProtection I too got the T&C's popup. I actually read through it, and it was boilerplate until the last section. I wish I had copy/pasted it somewhere.

This link does not work for me, has it been relocated?
http://192.168.1.1/tm_eula.html

Now, IANL, but it boiled down to basically this: "We collect all data that goes through your router, and send it to our servers, where we do whatever we need to do with it." This does not rule out storing it I assume. Now, as fax stated above, if you are filtering URLs it makes sense they do this, and I do accept that.

We now know that companies are/have been forced to monitor & record traffic and are forbidden to reveal that they are doing it. Makes one think that there is potential for abuse here with these URL filtering services. I have activated mine, and will let it run for a while to test it out. But in the end the potential for abuse is to great for me and will turn it off eventually unless I see something to make me change my mind from TM.

A question for someone, how does using the AC3200's VPN client feature affect the TM AiProtection? Does it break the AiProtection or are they able to inspect into it?

 

[NetworkError]

Hey I want pop ups like that !!! I get redirected to the IP of the 87r and just a blank page with no resolution of the blocked page ...

 

[Gitsum]

Trend Micro is in bed with NSA. Yes, they spy on you.

 

[RMerlin]

Trend Micro is in bed with NSA. Yes, they spy on you.

They're not even from the same country...

Let's not start that kind of FUD, because there are people who actually believe anything they read on the Interwebs.

 

[RMerlin]

Hey I want pop ups like that !!! I get redirected to the IP of the 87r and just a blank page with no resolution of the blocked page ...

There was a bug with older firmware versions where the redirection didn't work properly if you had switched to https for the webui.

 

[Embattle]

Trend Micro is in bed with NSA. Yes, they spy on you.

Even if they did I couldn't care less.

 

[NetworkError]

You say older FW ... I was on the latest but yes I prefer https for security reasons of course ... always a trade off ... Security VS Functionality The merlin FW doesn't off this service ?

 

[RMerlin]

You say older FW ... I was on the latest but yes I prefer https for security reasons of course ... always a trade off ... Security VS Functionality The merlin FW doesn't off this service ?

I don't remove any of the features of the stock firmware. The TrendMicro related services are also available in my firmware.

 

[NetworkError]

I am using official but like some of the Merlin features like the site survey. I don't wanna get off topic but are settings preserved jumping from official to custom just like regular upgrades ?

 

[RMerlin]

I am using official but like some of the Merlin features like the site survey. I don't wanna get off topic but are settings preserved jumping from official to custom just like regular upgrades ?

Yes, make sure you are upgrading from a fairly recent version however, or a factory default reset might be required for stability. You might also need to reconfigure your OpenVPN keys and certificates if you were using it.

 

[NetworkError]

Is it possible to modify the merlin aiprotect with additional notifications ?

 

[RMerlin]

Is it possible to modify the merlin aiprotect with additional notifications ?

AiProtection is closed source.

 

[mromero]

They're not even from the same country...

Let's not start that kind of FUD, because there are people who actually believe anything they read on the Interwebs.

Merlin may have a point here, Trend Micro is mysteriously missing from the NSA / GCHQ's hit list:

https://grahamcluley.com/2015/06/anti-virus-companies-nsa-gchq-leaked-documents-reveal/

 

[Rsmith7]

On the router under AirProtect section, there is a FAQ link. This links you to Asus site

http://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1008719/

which provides much more information on this service. In the content section three, Asus states that it is using a database to track blocked sites. Link below:

http://global.sitesafety.trendmicro.com/

 

[Wutikorn]

On the router under AirProtect section, there is a FAQ link. This links you to Asus site

http://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1008719/

which provides much more information on this service. In the content section three, Asus states that it is using a database to track blocked sites. Link below:

http://global.sitesafety.trendmicro.com/

Just want to add one more link to how it works. https://www.asus.com/support/faq/1012070/

 

[Puppa]

...There are plans to have an automatic update of the signature files, however I don't know if it's functional yet or still a work in progress...

My .9313-base RT-AC3200 does indeed update the signatures automatically. I've been watching it.

 

[dombera]

This thread is a bit old nut wanted to ask- do you use Trend Micro yourself on your router @RMerlin?

 

[kvic]

Coincidentally I just started using Trend Micro stuff including AiProtection. That was quite the opposite of my previous position on TrendMicro in Asus routers.

If people use some kind of Internet security software on PC, then you're potentially sharing info such as browsing URLs with the vendor. So might be an easier decision to turn on Trend Micro.

Personally I would worry about Google than other firms who collect data on me..

Performance is perhaps a bigger concern. In the past hour or so, I've to click more than once for some pages to load. That never happened to me before.

Not sure if it's due to some features of AiProtection..