WrtHug Exploits Six ASUS WRT Flaws to Hijack Tens of Thousands of EoL Routers Worldwide

The Hacker News

November 19, 2025 at 1:00 PM

Actively Exploited

Overview

Operation WrtHug has compromised tens of thousands of outdated ASUS routers globally, primarily affecting users in Taiwan, the U.S., and Russia. The severity of this campaign highlights the risks associated with using end-of-life devices, as they can be easily hijacked to form a large botnet.

Key Takeaways

Active Exploitation: This vulnerability is being actively exploited by attackers. Immediate action is recommended.
Affected Systems: ASUS routers, specifically those that are outdated or end-of-life (EoL)
Action Required: Users are advised to upgrade their routers to supported models and ensure that firmware is up to date to mitigate vulnerabilities.
Timeline: Newly disclosed

Original Article Summary

A newly discovered campaign has compromised tens of thousands of outdated or end-of-life (EoL) ASUS routers worldwide, predominantly in Taiwan, the U.S., and Russia, to rope them into a massive network. The router hijacking activity has been codenamed Operation WrtHug by SecurityScorecard's STRIKE team. Southeast Asia and European countries are some of the other regions where infections have

Impact

ASUS routers, specifically those that are outdated or end-of-life (EoL)

Exploitation Status

This vulnerability is confirmed to be actively exploited by attackers in real-world attacks. Organizations should prioritize patching or implementing workarounds immediately.

Timeline

Newly disclosed

Remediation

Users are advised to upgrade their routers to supported models and ensure that firmware is up to date to mitigate vulnerabilities.

Additional Information

This threat intelligence is aggregated from trusted cybersecurity sources. For the most up-to-date information, technical details, and official vendor guidance, please refer to the original article linked below.

Related Topics: This incident relates to Botnet.

Read Original Article

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