The Pages Router is the original routing model in Next.js. Each file under the pages directory maps to a URL, and the framework can handle server-side rendering, data fetching, and request handling for those pages. In practice, it defines how a site turns incoming requests into rendered content.
In cybersecurity, the routing model matters because it determines which code paths are exposed to the network and how server-side features are reached. If a flaw exists in page rendering, request parsing, or platform-specific behavior, the Pages Router may become part of the attack surface. Defenders should know which router a deployment uses, because patching, feature review, and exposure checks often depend on that detail. Attackers also use this information to target only deployments with the vulnerable routing path enabled.