Over 9,000 Asus Routers Hacked: What You Need to Know and Do Now

More than 9,000 Asus routers have been hacked in a major cyberattack carried out by what experts call a “highly skilled and well-resourced” group. Security firm GreyNoise, which discovered the attack on May 18, says the hackers exploited vulnerabilities in Asus routers that were connected to the internet, turning them into part of a botnet — a network of infected devices.

What Happened?

According to GreyNoise, the attackers used advanced techniques to break into exposed Asus routers. Once inside, they gained full control of the device and could even survive reboots and firmware updates — making the attack particularly dangerous.

The attackers used SSH (Secure Shell) access on port 53282 with a specific public key, allowing them to maintain a hidden backdoor into the routers.

How to Check if Your Router Was Hacked

If you own an Asus router, here’s how you can check for signs of compromise:

• Log into your router's settings via the web interface.

• Look under the “Service” or “Administration” tab for an option called “Enable SSH.”

• If this option is enabled and linked to port 53282 with a suspicious SSH key, your router might be infected.

What to Do If Your Router Is Infected

Asus and security experts recommend the following steps:

• Perform a factory reset – This is the only way to completely remove the hacker’s access.

• Update your firmware – Download the latest version from the Asus website.

• Set a strong admin password – Use at least 10 characters with uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.

• Remove the SSH entry – Delete any unauthorized SSH keys.

• Block these IP addresses –
• 101.99.91.151
• 101.99.94.173
• 79.141.163.179
• 111.90.146.237

What If You Have an Older Asus Router?

Asus says even older, end-of-life routers (which no longer receive firmware updates) can still be used safely if you:

• Install the latest available firmware

• Set a strong password

• Disable all remote access features such as SSH, DDNS, AiCloud, and WAN Web Access

Stay Protected Going Forward

Asus stresses the importance of regularly updating your router firmware and checking for any strange settings or access features.

“Keep on top of firmware updates for all of your internet-connected devices,” says security analyst Kim Key. “Make it part of your regular cybersecurity checklist.”

For more details, visit Asus’s official support page or contact their customer service.