ASUS Receives FTC Slapdown for Bad Router Security

Hardware company ASUS faced a lawsuit by the FTC after it failed to properly secure routers sold to consumers. After initially denying reports that hackers could “traverse any external storage plugged in through the USB ports on the back of the router,” ASUS was forced to fess up when a hacker uploaded a mysterious file onto thousands of devices attached to the routers. A lawsuit followed from the FTC, forcing ASUS to commit to creating a comprehensive security program and independent audits for the next 20 years. The FTC called ASUS’s security mistakes a wake-up call to other hardware makers, including the many new players making connected Internet of Things devices.