"We'll periodically update your router software automatically. There may be times when you will be advised to do this manually. Our Technical Support Team will assist you if this is the case."
Immediately I started to look for the option to disable this. However I could not find one. I then contacted their technical support in an attempt to turn it off. Their advisor informed me that they would not turn it off. I proceeded to state that would not, did not mean could not and probed for information which would enable me to turn it off. At this point the advisor informed that it was a secure line and that the upgrade process was infallible in terms of security; yet was unable to inform me of the security processes/practices applied. The advisor (getting infuriated at this point as I was clearly off-script) stated that they would try to find out from a higher technical body (internally). After being put on hold for a further 20 minutes I gave up and hung up the phone.
Next I resorted to a (quick) Google search in the hope that an answer would be reveal itself. I couldn't find an easy answer. Most answers I found focussed on some means of hacking the firmware on the device (based on the fact that the router was a re-brand of some other common make/model e.g. Netgear).
Given that my logs tell me I receive unsolicited connection attempts out of some countries in the East every 5 minutes or so, I feel I should be worried that I have little or no control over the firmware running my router. Have other people experienced this too? Is strikes me as a red flag in terms of security.
