Auditable Security Assessment of Proprietary and Open-Source Wi-Fi Router Firmware: A Reproducible Approach for Academic Infrastructures

Wi-Fi router security is a real concern for universities and research centers that rely on strong, dependable networks for everything they do. In this study, we took a close look at four popular Wi-Fi router firmwares using open-source tools such as Binwalk, CVE-Bin-Tool, and Semgrep. We carefully examined the file systems, cross-referenced them with the National Vulnerability Database (NVD), and searched for outdated software like BusyBox and OpenSSL. What we found was clear: proprietary firmwares had more Critical and High vulnerabilities, while OpenWrt stood out for being more secure, easier to update, and openly maintained by its community. Our reproducible process automates how we gather evidence and map vulnerabilities, making firmware auditing more practical and trustworthy. These results make a strong case for using open-source firmware as a safer, more manageable choice for institutional networks.