More than 12 million routers in homes and businesses around the world are vulnerable to a critical software bug that can be exploited by hackers to remotely monitor users’ traffic and take administrative control over the devices, from a variety of different manufacturers.

 

The critical vulnerability actually resides in web server "RomPager" made by a company known as AllegroSoft, which is typically embedded into the firmware of router , modems and other "gateway devices" from about every leading manufacturer. The HTTP server provides the web-based user-friendly interface for configuring the products.

 

Researchers at the security software company Check Point have discovered that the RomPager versions prior to 4.34 — software more than 10 years old — are vulnerable to a critical bug, dubbed as Misfortune Cookie. The flaw named as Misfortune Cookie because it allows attackers to control the "fortune" of an HTTP request by manipulating cookies.