Are there any perils that could be lurking in a used AirPort Extreme (802.11ac tower model, ME918LL/A)?
If so, how should I connect to it and sanitize it?
(Please, no COVID jokes!)
AirPort Extreme 802.11ac Gen1
I suppose that anything is possible, but the first case of malware, viruses, etc in any AirPort router has not yet been documented.
That being said, remember that the AirPort Extreme 802.11ac was designed in the 2012-2013 timeframe using technology that was available at that time and Apple never updated the hardware in the product. Let's just say that the AirPorts have been considered "long in the tooth" for some time.
Apple wrote the Firmware for Airport in NetBSD.
# uname -a
NetBSD tcgen5 6.0 NetBSD 6.0
Most routers have firmware written in Linux.. with source code open source. Apple used deliberately a related but non GNU software so they do not release the source code.
You are pretty safe.
Thank you—that is reassuring. I went ahead and set it up a couple hours ago. Works great so far.
Is it possible for an AirPort Extreme to have malware, viruses, other mayhem?
