The router manufacturer AVM Computersysteme Vertriebs GmbH has released a new firmware for numerous Fritz boxes. The reason for this are probably serious security gaps. According to AVM, firmware 7.57 and 7.31 are stability and security updates. According to ATM, users should install it quickly. The company has been playing this out at an unusually high pace for almost all of its routers since September 4th and has not yet revealed in the description what exactly the patch is all about. The accompanying notes only state that it increases the security of the routers.
In Internet forums, however, there are indications that in some cases hackers have succeeded in gaining control of some Fritz boxes via remote access and in locking legitimate users out of the system. As a result, internet access was no longer possible, and access to the Fritzbox was also prevented. According to the report, the said https accesses were set up by the respective Internet service provider for the administration of the router. However, cybercriminals were apparently able to change the configuration of the router and misuse the device for their own purposes. Only a factory reset would then help to regain access.
Users don’t actually have to do anything else for the update. The automatic update function of the Fritz boxes should download and install the update shortly, unless the function has been switched off. However, that could still take a while. The update can also be searched for and installed manually.