Designing for reuse
Doghouse – FOSS Firmware

Adopting FOSS firmware can keep your hardware out of the landfill.
Recently, an article by Bruce Schneier, CTO of IBM Resilient, came across my desk discussing some of the issues around home broadband routers. Apparently, on May 25th, the FBI asked people to "reboot their routers" as various pieces of malware were running in these routers and causing havoc with the Internet. The malware was very sophisticated, to the point where it had (more or less) a software backplane and could install new "plugins" to create even more mischief. Mr. Schneier stated that the malware was probably not the creation of your classic "basement cracker" but was instead a product of an intense program by a government.
Unfortunately, rebooting the router did not really fix the problem, as the malware was still infecting the lower levels of the router firmware, so at a minimum, the user would have to "reset to factory settings" (destroying the sometimes complex set of configuration and passwords) or (more likely) install new firmware, which is completely outside the abilities of most residential users of broadband routers, even assuming that the makers of the router are still updating the firmware or are even in business.
Mr. Schneier therefore recommended that, if the router does not have firmware updates, the best course of action is to throw away the old router and buy a new one, which is what several of my less computer-savvy friends did.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.