Federal agencies are investigating TP-Link, the Chinese company behind 65% of the U.S. home router market, for potential security threats. The Department of Commerce, along with the Defense and Justice Departments, is weighing a ban on the company’s devices, which are widely used by consumers and government agencies, including the Defense Department.
TP-Link routers have been linked to cybersecurity vulnerabilities. In October, Microsoft reported that a Chinese hacking group utilized compromised TP-Link devices in cyberattacks targeting Western governments and private organizations. Investigators claim TP-Link has shipped routers with security flaws and often fails to address these issues.
BREAKING: @FBI Director Christopher Wray announcement live at our hearing:
“Just this morning we announced an operation where we and our partners identified hundreds of routers that had been taken over by the PRC state-sponsored hacking group known as Volt-Typhoon.” pic.twitter.com/XhLVB3jMHm
— Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (@committeeonccp) January 31, 2024
The Biden administration’s scrutiny of TP-Link intensified following cyberattacks by Chinese hacking group Salt Typhoon. While no direct connection to TP-Link devices was identified, federal probes into the company accelerated. The Commerce Department has subpoenaed TP-Link as part of its inquiry.
Sources: US officials are investigating Chinese router maker TP-Link, which has an estimated 65% US market share, and could ban the sale of its routers in 2025 (Wall Street Journal)https://t.co/BGj7zjtyeUhttps://t.co/uUfnKh32LIhttps://t.co/ZOzeer2dpR
— Techmeme (@Techmeme) December 18, 2024
TP-Link has attributed its market success to affordable pricing, offering devices at half the cost of competitors. However, national security concerns have overshadowed its market position. A ban on TP-Link routers would mirror the 2019 removal of Huawei Technologies components under the first Trump administration.
US could ban Chinese-made TP-Link routers over hacking fears: report https://t.co/4dsdky4qDk pic.twitter.com/YtJi9MhIVh
— New York Post (@nypost) December 18, 2024
The company has expressed its willingness to collaborate with federal authorities to address concerns. Meanwhile, a Chinese embassy spokesperson has accused the U.S. of targeting Chinese firms under the guise of national security.
BREAKING: FBI says it has taken down a large botnet of malware installed by Chinese hackers on hundreds of routers inside the US in an effort to get access to infrastructure. FBI says it used search and seizure warrants to remotely delete the malware-without notifying device… pic.twitter.com/5uUbsKn8dX
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) January 31, 2024
The incoming Trump administration, expected to take a hardline approach to China, may ultimately decide the fate of TP-Link’s presence in the U.S. market.
