Netgear security flaw affects an array of routers — here's how to keep your network safe

What you need to know

• Almost 50 pieces of Netgear networking equipment have security updates available.
• The updates address issues ranging from "critical" to "medium," according to Netgear.
• The updates are available for the devices now.

Netgear has several security updates available for almost 50 pieces of its networking equipment. The updates address issues ranging from "critical" to "medium," according to Netgear's classification. To update your equipment, you have to use the Netgear mobile app, log in to your router's settings through a computer, or follow advice from Netgear's support website. The solution you need depends on the piece of hardware you need to update.

As reported by Tom's Guide, the worst security flaw allows attackers to remotely install malware on the Nighthawk X4s gaming router, specifically the R7800 model. Netgear classifies this vulnerability with a score of 9.4/10, which is labeled as "critical."

Another issue affects the R6400v2, R6700, R6700v3, R6900, and R7900. This vulnerability has a rating of 8.3/10, which is a "high" security risk.

There are several other flaws with lower risk ratings across Netgear's line of devices. These are still worth fixing through updates, as that will secure your devices and networks. You can check if your specific device needs an update on Netgear's website.

Updating your Netgear hardware can be a bit tricky. The first thing you'll likely need to do is go to Netgear's support website. This site has guides to help you find your device's model number. Depending on your hardware, you can update your device through the Netgear mobile app, log in to your router's settings through a computer (192.168.1.1), or follow guidance from Netgear's support website.