US Lawmakers’ Raise Warning Sirens over Chinese TP-Link Routers
Two US lawmakers advised the Biden administration to investigate China’s TP-Link over potential national security issue stemming from vulnerabilities in its Wi-Fi routers, which could be exploited for cyber-attacks.
Republican Representative, John Moolenaar, along with Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi have called on the Biden administration to open an investigation to investigate the Chinese-made Wi-Fi routers, warning from exploitation threats for cyberattacks.
A Glaring National Security Issue
Both representatives elaborated the matter in a letter submitted to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Tuesday. In the letter, the lawmakers stressed the importance of looking into these devices. They described the issue as “glaring national security issue.”
“…We request that Commerce verify the threat posed by (China-affiliated small office/home office) routers —particularly those offered by the world’s largest manufacturer, TP-Link,” as mentioned in the letter.
Their urgent call for action comes following already existing vulnerabilities related to TP-Link routers, citing previous attacks targeting some EU officials.
In a response to the letter, the Commerce Department indicated that it is considering tackling the matter though the appropriate channels. While the Chinese embassy expressed its hopes that the investigations will provide real proof and not “groundless speculations and allegations.”
Threating Every Household
Based in Shenzhen, China, TP-Link is the top global seller of Wi-Fi routers by unit volume, according to research firm IDC. Mostly a consumer-facing company, it became an international household name in its concept for providing cheap but reliable networking devices.
The US lawmakers’ letter also mirrors the growing concerns raised by Washington that China could weaponize these routers for cyber espionage against American targets. The US government, along with its allies, is increasingly wary of Chinese technology over state-backed hacking fears.
This is not the first time TP-Link has faced such allegations. A year ago, the US and its allies, in coordination with Microsoft, exposed a hacking campaign attributed to the Chinese government, called Volt Typhoon, allegedly involved taking over privately-owned routers to hide further attacks on American critical infrastructure.
Final Thoughts
The concerns raised by US lawmakers regarding the potential risks associated with TP-Link routers go beyond US national security issue to potentially impact much of the world.
These routers are widely used by almost every household globally, making the existence of powerful security measures and security issue standards a key pillar for networks, especially for countries using foreign made technology.
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