Netgear & Asus adds & enables code that collects data & phones home.

[Elixer]

They really should disables this "service" by default, instead of having it default on.

The latest firmware update for Netgear NightHawk R7000 routers adds support and enables an "analytics system" that collects user data and sends it to the company's servers.

The Netgear NightHawk series is one of the company's most popular router and the firmware version where this feature was added is 1.0.7.12.

Earlier this week, the company announced the new data collection practice on its website, in a knowledgebase support article, embedded below
...

Netgear is not the only router manufacturer that has been criticized this month for collecting user data.

At the start of the month, ASUS has been lambasted for sending user traffic to Trend Micro servers as part of a new deep packet inspection security feature.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...a-collection-feature-on-popular-router-model/

 

[VirtualLarry]

They really need to smarten up. The whole reason people went to Netgear and Asus for routers, was because they were avoiding Cisco's "Cloud Connect" service that was on there newer routers, that fed every URL to their servers for "inspection".

These are some of the reasons I run 3rd-party firmware on my routers. May not be perfect, but it's more open.

 

[Elixer]

Yeah, I agree, I opt for routers that have 3rd party firmware as well.

This is getting out of control, we now have hardware, software, social sites (and...) all doing the "opt in" by default. As that article referenced, twitter is turning everything on as well, and you must disable things again.

Really shady.