Official announcements from U.S. Departments of Commerce, Defense, or Justice

U.S. May Ban TP-Link Routers, Dominant in Market, Over Cyberattack Links

Dec 18, 2024, 02:23 PM

U.S. authorities are investigating TP-Link, a Chinese company that manufactures home internet routers, for potential national security risks, according to reports. The Departments of Commerce, Defense, and Justice are examining whether TP-Link's devices, which account for approximately 65% of the U.S. home and small business router market, pose a threat due to vulnerabilities that have been linked to Chinese cyberattacks. An analysis from Microsoft found that a Chinese hacking group has compromised thousands of TP-Link routers to launch attacks. The routers are widely used by consumers, small businesses, and hundreds of internet service providers, and are the bestselling routers on platforms like Amazon. The investigation could result in a ban on the sale of TP-Link routers in the United States as early as 2025.