The leading home internet router brand in the United States faces a potential ban due to concerns regarding national security risks.
Three different U.S. agencies are currently investigating TP-Link routers, which hold a 65% share of the market, partly due to versions branded by more than 300 ISPs that are provided to customers.
According to a report by the WSJ.
U.S. officials are looking into a Chinese company whose widely used home internet routers have been associated with cyberattacks, exploring whether they present a national-security threat and contemplating a ban on the devices […]
Investigators from the Commerce, Defense, and Justice Departments are conducting their own inquiries into the firm, with the possibility of prohibiting the sale of TP-Link routers in the U.S. as early as next year, according to sources familiar with the situation.
There has been ongoing concern about the prevalence of ISPs providing TP-Link routers, especially since many have been shipped with unresolved security vulnerabilities. This concern is heightened by their use in sensitive government agencies.
Federal contracting records indicate that TP-Link routers are used by organizations ranging from NASA to the Defense Department and Drug Enforcement Administration, and are also available at online military exchange stores.
It seems that their low cost has been prioritized above other considerations…
However, the issue of unaddressed security flaws may be less pressing than previously thought. Reports suggest that TP-Link routers could have been utilized as a botnet to execute cyberattacks on U.S. entities, including suppliers to the Department of Defense.
An analysis by Microsoft released in October revealed that a Chinese hacking group manages a substantial network of compromised devices, primarily consisting of thousands of TP-Link routers. This network has been employed by various Chinese operatives to execute cyberattacks targeting Western entities, including think tanks, government organizations, NGOs, and Defense Department suppliers.
This could shed light on Justice Department concerns that the company is selling routers for prices below their manufacturing costs.
The Justice Department is investigating whether these pricing discrepancies violate a federal law against monopolistic practices by selling products below manufacturing costs, as noted by an informed source. A TP-Link representative stated that the company does not sell products below cost and is committed to adhering to U.S. laws, including antitrust regulations.
Image: DMN composite of images from TP-Link and Mathias Reding on Unsplash
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