I'm a bit uneasy about the router that was installed at my house. I changed all the passwords, made the network hidden, and even disconnected all devices before connecting them. Most of my internet traffic goes through a VPN, especially for sensitive stuff. If the person who installed my router had malicious intentions, what potential risks could I face? For instance, could they have put malware on my devices (like my Mac laptop, which I've reset, and Windows desktop, which I've scanned) or accessed my data, considering most websites are HTTPS? Also, I'm moving out soon and plan to dispose of the three routers I have. After a factory reset, will just throwing them in the trash be enough to ensure no personal data can be retrieved? I want to play it safe here. Thanks!
3 Answers
Also, if you're worried about your old routers, just check if your trash company does e-waste recycling. They're usually safe to get rid of after a reset, but just to ease your mind, that might be a solid plan.
You might be overthinking things a bit. It's pretty tricky for someone to install malware just by putting in the router. Once you factory reset it, it basically goes back to how it was out of the box. Really, what identifiable data could someone even get? Just your Wi-Fi network name and password, which don't really contain personal info unless you’ve used something super obvious.
Possibly, but if you're using a VPN and secured your devices since then, you're likely safe.
Honestly, that level of paranoia seems a bit extreme. The installer probably wouldn't have the time or inclination to mess with your personal devices just for installing a router.
But what if someone had access to my network before I did all that? Could they have already grabbed something?