According to a report from the security firm Symantec, there is a new virus that affects routers (rarely updated, easily compromised, and almost never scanned for viruses) that actually protects the system.

Dubbed Linux.Wifatch, the virus acts like a typical virus in that it infects the router, operating undetected, and coordinating actions through a peer-to-peer network. But the interesting aspect of this virus is that it stays up to date on virus definitions through its peer-to-peer network, deletes any malware discovered, and cuts off other channels malware would typically use to attack the router.

The majority of the infections seem to be China, however, Brazil and Mexico have a greater degree of infections than the U.S. China with 37%, Brazil with 16%, Mexico with 9% and the U.S. with 5%.

Symantec estimates that the infection occurs in "tens of thousands" of systems. Resetting the router will eliminate the virus.

"Symantec will be keeping a close eye on Linux.Wifatch and the activities of its mysterious creator," the post concludes. "Users are advised to keep their device’s software and firmware up to date."

Source: TheVerge