Your internet router could be China-linked: FCC cracks down on ‘unacceptable’ security risks

By Fox News · Fox News

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is moving to block new foreign-made internet routers from entering the U.S. market, citing mounting concerns that overseas supply chains could expose American networks to cyber threats inside their own homes. The move expands the agency’s "covered list," which bars equipment deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to national security and will effectively prevent new foreign-manufactured routers from being authorized for sale in the U.S. The order effectively means new routers must be built in the United States or clear a national security review that scrutinizes ownership, supply chains and software control to be sold domestically. The list includes communications equipment and services considered "to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons," the FCC said. LAWSUIT CLAIMS SECURITY CAMERAS SOLD IN THE US CARRIED UNDISCLOSED SURVEILLANCE RISKS The agency warned that "malicious actors have exploited security gaps in foreign-made routers to attack American households, disrupt networks, enable espionage, and facilitate intellectual property theft," citing multiple cases in which such devices were used in cyberattacks targeting U.S. infrastructure. The rule applies broadly to devices produced outside the country but largely targets routers with Chinese origins . The world's networking hardware supply is largely dependent on China for manufacturing and engineering. Estimates in recent years indicate that devices with significant Chinese supply chain ties account for the majority of home routers used in the U.S. TP-Link, a China-founded router manufacturer and one of the top-selling brands on Amazon, has faced growing scrutiny in Washington amid cyber incidents and broader concerns about foreign-linked networking equipment. GOOGLE DISMANTLES 9M-DEVICE ANDROID HIJACK NETWORK A review of router manufacturing and supply chains by Fox News Digital in…