Router web interface makes unauthorized, insecure connections

I was watching my desktop application firewall when I opened the browser to log into my GL-AR300M. I saw an insecure port 80 connection to 52.68.43.214 before I typed my password. This is the GL.iNet domain.

What is happening here? The routers web interface should not make unnecessary connections to the internet. And when it must connect to a web site, the data should not be sent over an insecure, unencrypted channel because the traffic could be modified in transit.

Please check the firmware version. In the old version there is DDNS. This is disabled by default in recent firmware update.

It may also be checking firmware update.