Why does my Amazon Smart Plug cause FingBox to alarm?

SidersC
SidersC Member Posts: 3
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in Fingbox #1

I have two Amazon Smart Plugs which I tried a year ago but set aside due to this problem. Just tried again with same result: FingBox alarms periodically with a Network Gateway Changed alert. Why would a smart plug be trying to act as the network gateway? Is this a malicious piece of hardware?

VioletChepilkltaylor

Answers

  • VioletChepil
    VioletChepil London, UKMember Posts: 2,471
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    #2
    Hi @SidersC
    If the smart plugs that are connected are able to connect to internet that means they have an ethernet card (NIC) card in them. So, any device which has ethernet card in them has the ability to direct traffic through them and it might cause the gateway change alerts.

    A gateway is a device that routes traffic between two separate networks. The best example of a gateway within your home network is your router. This acts as a gateway between your own personal network and your broadband provider’s network.  

    So when you receive an alert from your Fingbox that a new gateway has appeared on your network it means that a device has become a gateway. This could be something usual (e.g. some triband routers have an interchangeable pool of addresses that change a lot), or could be coming from a device which redirects everything to itself (e.g. a hardware firewall), or could be a device that has been attached to your network that you weren’t aware is redirecting all the data.  

    Fingbox will alert you when it notices a new gateway so you can investigate if it is coming from a trusted or malicious source.  
     
    When a new device joins a network, then it tends to distribute traffic through itself. If you do not know what the new gateway is, check to see if a new device has recently joined your network – this most likely will be the source of the new gateway. If it is a device you do not recognize then block it straight away. 

    Community Manager at Fing

    kltaylor
  • kltaylor
    kltaylor Member, Beta Tester Posts: 1,231
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    #3
    When you receive the information on a gateway change, does the IP for that gateway also change?  Typically your gateway should only be the router that is dispersing the internet service to the devices that connect to it.  Have you compared the IPs, the MAC addresses, etc?
    "There's a fine line between audacity and idiocy."
    -Warden Anastasia Luccio, Captain
  • SidersC
    SidersC Member Posts: 3
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    #4

    It shows the MAC of the plug. Here is the complete alert email:

    Network Security Alert

     

    Network Gateway changed to C4:95:00:19:76:0C


    The network gateway changed. If it’s your new router you should set it as ‘trusted’ in the mobile app by tapping on this alert from the Network tab.


    In other cases a Man In The Middle attack is occurring on your network: an unauthorized device is redirecting your device's traffic to intercept and try to steal information and sensitive data.

  • VioletChepil
    VioletChepil London, UKMember Posts: 2,471
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    #5
    Hi @SidersC
    If the gateway has changed then Fingbox is doing its job and alerting you. Did you trust the new gateway? 

    Community Manager at Fing

  • SidersC
    SidersC Member Posts: 3
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    #6

    The question is should I trust the new gateway? This seems peculiar for a smart plug. Even when I have run multiple WiFi routers in my house, I never saw similar alerts.

    VioletChepil
  • VioletChepil
    VioletChepil London, UKMember Posts: 2,471
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    #7
    @SidersC - you could always do the inverse and block the device and see what impact that has...?
    And if its needed for your network - then you could unblock it later.

    Community Manager at Fing

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