On April 8th, Tom’s Hardware published a cybersecurity article detailing how Russian state-sponsored actors have been hijacking TP-Link and MikroTik routers to perform DNS redirection and man-in-the-middle attacks.
This article expands on that report, providing practical guidance and demonstrating how proper support, maintenance, and configuration can prevent these types of incidents.
Router Security Isn’t About the Brand, It’s About How It’s Managed
The referenced article highlights DNS redirection and credential interception targeting services such as Outlook and Office 365. These attacks leveraged compromised routers to forward traffic through malicious infrastructure.
The reality is consistent across the industry: these types of compromises occur on every brand of equipment connected to the internet. MikroTik is no exception. However, the root cause is almost always the same: lack of updates, weak configuration, or insufficient ongoing management.
Security Incidents Are Preventable
Misconfiguration and lack of maintenance have historically caused both outages and compromises. For example, a global outage in 2009 was triggered by an incorrectly configured MikroTik router advertising improper BGP routes.
These events demonstrate a critical truth: even the best hardware becomes a risk when it is not actively maintained. With proper oversight, most of these issues are entirely avoidable.
MikroTik’s Long-Term Software Advantage
MikroTik has patched most known vulnerabilities (CVEs) and continues to release updates across a wide range of hardware. The real challenge is ensuring those updates are applied consistently.
In fact, devices such as the RouterBOARD 532, released nearly 20 years ago, can still run modern RouterOS versions today. This level of longevity is rare in the industry.
However, long-term support only provides value if systems are actively maintained and evaluated for both security and performance.
EOL vs EOS: What You Need to Know
- EOL (End-of-Life): Product may no longer be sold, but can still receive updates
- EOS (End-of-Support): No more updates, device must be replaced
While MikroTik often continues support beyond EOL, once a device reaches EOS, it becomes a security risk and should be removed from production.
How to Prevent Router Compromise
- Deploy a properly configured firewall (input chain protection)
- Restrict management access
- Audit NAT and port forwarding rules
- Keep RouterOS updated (Long-term or Stable)
MikroTik’s default configuration is a strong starting point, but real-world environments require ongoing review and expert tuning.
A Better Approach: Proactive Support
The most effective way to secure your network is to have experienced professionals actively managing it.
- Security audits and configuration hardening
- Firmware lifecycle and update management
- Firewall, NAT, and routing optimization
- Fast response when issues arise
With Link Technologies, your MikroTik infrastructure is not just running; it is actively secured, monitored, and optimized.
About Link Technologies
Link Technologies specializes in network design, security, and support for ISPs, WISPs, and business networks. With deep expertise in MikroTik and multi-vendor environments, Link Technologies delivers proactive support, rapid response, and practical solutions that keep networks secure and performing at their best.
https://www.linktechs.net
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