It's important to remember a particular detail about the Heartbleed bug: This bit of digital nastiness is not limited to websites. Heartbleed can also affect the equipment we connect to our networks, such as Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices, routers, and access points.
As PCMag has noted, Heartbleed is the name of a bug in OpenSSL which leaks information in the computer's memory. But many networking devices are just as vulnerable to Heartbleed as websites since they use OpenSSL for software encryption.
OpenSSL allows websites and Internet applications such as email and VPN to make secure Internet connections via TLS and SSL protocols. It is used widely in servers. In fact, Fahmida Y. Rashid, a member of PCMag's Security Watch team, discovered the bug was easy to exploit on a server running a vulnerable version of OpenSSL.
Of course, many NASes and routers use OpenSSL—often to secure remote connections back to the device from external networks. However, not all network device manufacturers use this open source code—opting instead to use other versions of SSL protocols.
Yet, how do you know what your equipment has installed and if it's safe? We compiled a list of the networking devices we routinely test to find out which ones are vulnerable to Heartbleed and what you should do, now! The list is broken down by NAS devices, routers, and also SMB networking, which includes manufacturers that primarily make other networking devices besides routers and NASes, for small business and prosumer users. Take a look to ensure your network devices are plugged up against Heartbleed and what you can do if they aren't.