Hackers have infiltrated the popular open source OpenWRT forum and have made off with personal information and statistical details about the platform’s users.
An administrator account on OpenWRT was violated as part of the cyber attack, although forum moderators don’t yet know how the account was accessed, according to a notice published this weekend.
This forum serves as a platform for users enthusiastic about the open-source Linux-based router operating system OpenWRT to discuss software development as well as projects, among other subjects. The software itself is primarily used on embedded devices to route network traffic.
According to site statistics, there are roughly 27,000 users registered with the forum and roughly 4,100 active users within the last 30 days.
The compromised administrative account had a “good password”, but two-factor authentication (2FA), designed to add an additional layer of security to protect against brute force attacks, wasn’t enabled.
“The intruder was able to download a copy of the user list that contains email addresses, handles, and other statistical information about the users of the forum,” OpenWRT moderators said in the notice.
“Although we do not believe the intruder could download the database, from an abundance of caution, we are following the advice of the Discourse community and have reset all passwords on the Forum, and flushed any API keys.”
Moderators have urged users to manually reset their passwords as a result of the hack and to brace themselves for phishing attacks, given their email addresses have been compromised. Users with GitHub logins or OAuth keys should also reset or refresh these.
The OpenWRT forum has also urged users to reset passwords by manually entering a link into a web browser, as opposed to clicking any links. This is because the hackers may yet attempt to further lure users by sending fake password reset emails.
-
The IT industry’s shift to circular, low-carbon solutionsMaximize your hardware investment and reach your sustainability goals with HP’s Renew Solutions
-
Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition reviewReviews This thin and light ultraportable will draw you in with its vibrant screen – but it isn't as powerful as some of its competitors
-
Microsoft Authenticator mandates number matching to counter MFA fatigue attacksNews The added layer of complexity aims to keep social engineering at bay
-
As Google launches passwordless authentication for all, what are the business benefits of passkeys?News Google follows Apple in its latest shift to passwordless authentication, but what are the benefits?
-
There's only one way to avoid credential stuffing attacksOpinion PayPal accounts were breached last year due to a credential stuffing attack, but can PayPal avoid taking responsibility?
-
Google Authenticator 2FA update accused of making service less secureNews Lack of end-to-end encryption in code backup has some developers worried
-
Five things to consider before choosing an MFA solutionIn-depth Because we all should move on from using “password” as a password
-
What is multi-factor authentication (MFA) fatigue and how do you defend against attacks?In-depth Strong authentication is key to security, but it needs to be properly managed to avoid MFA fatigue
-
Beyond Identity strikes up strategic partnership with World Wide TechnologyNews WWT will implement Beyond Identity’s authentication platform internally while also acting as a global channel partner
-
Implementing strong authentication across your businessIn-depth Strong authentication is hugely important, but implementing any regime at scale is not without its challenges
