Decades-old Nintendo accessory poses security risk for modern devices

Old Nintendo Wi-Fi devices could soon expose home networks to hacker attacks.

Nintendo of Japan issued a warning earlier today, telling customers that if they are still using the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connectors first issued in 2005 or 2008, they need to immediately stop using them and swap to a more modern device. Failure to do so places your devices at risk of spoofing attacks or network hijacking attempts, it claims.

These dongles were sold specifically to aid customers who had trouble establishing connections to Wi-Fi because their PC was connected via Broadband. The devices essentially created a Wi-Fi signal for your Nintendo DS or Nintendo Wii systems to download updates, games, and more.

The Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector poses a security risk, according to a statement by Nintendo of Japan. Photo: Evan Amos via WikiMedia

The reasoning behind the statement is that while both devices use WEP as a secure encryption method, Nintendo believes that the security will be broken soon. What this means is that anyone with the right knowledge and tools can use these devices to reroute or inject communication data into or from your networks, putting your personal information at risk.

If for some reason you are one of the few still using these devices, Nintendo of Japan urges you to please upgrade your setup. In the statement released earlier today, Nintendo states: “If you continue to use these devices, you are at risk of unauthorised access from outside attackers, or computer virus infections. For security protection, we ask that customers currently using the products stop using it immediately and switch to a commercially available network device.”

Most people do not use these dongles anymore — the last batch of these shipped out in 2010 and 2013, respectively — so the risk is minimal. However, there must be enough users out there still using them if Nintendo has to issue a statement, so if you use a USB Wi-Fi dongle, check if it’s using more modern encryption methods.

This isn’t the first time outdated hardware became a vector for cyberattacks. Many older laptops that haven’t been updated or use outdated operating systems are prime targets for security breaches, for example. Even modern tech giants are subject to security issues — for example, Roblox developers having personal documents published online, or Bandai Namco being targeted by a hacker group.

Original reporting by Nintendo Life.

Written by Junior Miyai on behalf of GLHF.