Could a modem-router be caught out trying to surreptitiously phone home?

Hi,

Completely paranoid question I know, but it occurred to me that if a
wireless modem-router was programmed to store details of people's
browsing habits and send these to the manufacturer (perhaps after
being leaned on by the NSA, or as part of a deal with a market
research agency), since the user has nothing between it and the
Internet, as long as it didn't flash it's lights for _these_ pieces of
traffic, store them in logfiles etc, there would be no way for them to
detect it.

Am I completely wrong about this? Has anyone monitored the outgoing
traffic from a modem/modem-router?

James.



james.d.mclaughlin@googlemail.com

On Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:39:48 -0700, (E-Mail Removed)
mused:

>Hi,
>
>Completely paranoid question I know, but it occurred to me that if a
>wireless modem-router was programmed to store details of people's
>browsing habits and send these to the manufacturer (perhaps after
>being leaned on by the NSA, or as part of a deal with a market
>research agency), since the user has nothing between it and the
>Internet, as long as it didn't flash it's lights for _these_ pieces of
>traffic, store them in logfiles etc, there would be no way for them to
>detect it.
>
>Am I completely wrong about this? Has anyone monitored the outgoing
>traffic from a modem/modem-router?
>
Could apply the same to anything that carries traffic specific to a
use, dial up modem, servers at your ISP......
--
Regards,
Stuart.

I was musing on something simmilar a few weeks ago. Id assume its common
sense for the governments to have back doors into all wireless routers.

So if they were so inclined if you were a suspected terrorist or pedo or
something rather then having to cut through loads of red tape for warrants
etc they would just have to sit outside your house for bit to confirm there
suspicions.

Dont know if thats a paranoid thougt or just something thats pretty likely
lol.

Gordy
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> Completely paranoid question I know, but it occurred to me that if a
> wireless modem-router was programmed to store details of people's
> browsing habits and send these to the manufacturer (perhaps after
> being leaned on by the NSA, or as part of a deal with a market
> research agency), since the user has nothing between it and the
> Internet, as long as it didn't flash it's lights for _these_ pieces of
> traffic, store them in logfiles etc, there would be no way for them to
> detect it.
>
> Am I completely wrong about this? Has anyone monitored the outgoing
> traffic from a modem/modem-router?
>
> James.
>