Can a router get a virus?

[Tgo01]

This may sound like a stupid question but I've always assumed it was impossible for routers to get a virus so I never thought much about it. However whenever my in-laws come over for a visit they always want to use my wifi for their laptops and I know how bad they are with security on their computers because they ask me to fix them from time to time and I usually find about a dozen or so viruses on their computers. So whenever they come over I disconnect my computers from my router just in case (it's possible for viruses to spread over a network right?) and temporarily change the wifi password so they can use it while they're here.

However I googled about a router becoming infected and it seems every site I visited had a different answer. Some people saying it's impossible, some people saying it's possible but they've never heard of it happening, some people saying it's possible and they have heard of it happening.

I know we have a few computer experts around here, what say you?

[Jonty]

Possible. but unlikely. Some viruses don't actually infect the router, but they can compromise it if the web management password was never changed from the default one. A common example would be that a virus will change the assigned DNS servers, so that when you browse, you will be directed to ads and maleware websites.

[Stanley Burrell]

Anything that can in any way, shape or form store digital data can be tinkered with to host non-standard programs/routines. Then it's just manpower, ax/s and device capability that can determine what can do what.

[AnticorRifling]

It's possible but really most of your household virus/malware stuff is designed to spam your shit with adds get you to buy bloatware (DUDE I CAN MAKE YOUR PC RUN FASTER AHHHHHHHHHHH) or (YOU IS INFECTED [with shit I gave you] BUY THIS TO GET CLEAN). They really don't target routers because of the ROI on the effort.

If you're worried about your inlaws passing shit to your router, it being stored there and then your router passing it to your PC after you reconnect I'm thinking that's a low risk scenario.

[Parkbandit]

I have to agree with Anticor, since he is my IT manager.

And yes, this is an unpaid position.

[Stanley Burrell]

It's possible but really most of your household virus/malware stuff is designed to spam your shit with adds get you to buy bloatware (DUDE I CAN MAKE YOUR PC RUN FASTER AHHHHHHHHHHH) or (YOU IS INFECTED [with shit I gave you] BUY THIS TO GET CLEAN). They really don't target routers because of the ROI on the effort.

If you're worried about your inlaws passing shit to your router, it being stored there and then your router passing it to your PC after you reconnect I'm thinking that's a low risk scenario.

^

Either it's going to be supply and demand crap or a one-man source code squad paratrooping into your house on a routine basis to alter the timer1 functions on all of your air filters, scented plug-ins and ... digital egg timers.

[Stanley Burrell]

In no way did I use a one-man team in my above post to celebrate any sort of personal fantasy. As I didn't have to post, as is obvious, glad we already had that cleared up.

[AnticorRifling]

^

Either it's going to be supply and demand crap or a one-man source code squad paratrooping into your house on a routine basis to alter the timer1 functions on all of your air filters, scented plug-ins and ... digital egg timers.

Bitches love it when your digital egg timer is accurate so you'd better make sure the above never happens.

[Tgo01]

Thanks everyone.

[4a6c1]

Slap it with a fish. It wont fix the problem but at least you got to slap something with a fish.

[Bobmuhthol]

It's only possible in the sense that your computer could get a virus which then flashes your router with different firmware, and that firmware also has a virus. Otherwise, no, the router itself can't get a virus because it doesn't run programs.

[Androidpk]

Slap it with a fish. It wont fix the problem but at least you got to slap something with a fish.

It's gotta be a big fish. If you're not slapping someone in the face with a salmon sized fish it's not worth the effort.

[warnerbob18]

There are very few chances that a router can get affected by virus.
a router can get affected by virus only in two ways:
1. some one have to hack code of router,
2.and if code of router hacked somehow then they would need to get it into router.

so there are very few chances.