Unlike Switcher, VPNFilter directly infected routers via a worm that targeted known security vulnerabilities, and victims could remove it only by performing a hard factory reset on their router. VPNFilter is a more recent instance of router malware.

This type of attack is known as DNS hijacking, and since a router infection can affect an entire network, any connected devices are at risk. Having gained access to the router, the attacker would then change its DNS settings to redirect internet traffic to servers owned by the cybercriminals. (That’s why it’s so important to protect your router with a strong and unique password.) Once installed on a victim’s phone, the Switcher Trojan router malware would try to gain access to the router through a brute-force attack, which is when a hacker tries to infiltrate a system by trying tons passwords and login credentials with the aim of eventually hitting on a match. One notable example is 2016’s Switcher Trojan, which hijacked victims’ Android devices to manipulate their router settings. Over the past few years, cybersecurity researchers have started to discover malware that can directly affect routers. (Go directly to our section on how to get rid of viruses and malware from a router.)

Wifi router scanner