US EditionI Review Routers for a Living. Don’t Buy a Router Right Now
- On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission added all foreign-made consumer-grade routers to the "Covered List," effectively banning the FCC from authorizing new devices for sale in the United States.
- Executive branch agencies concluded "routers produced in a foreign country, regardless of the nationality of the producer, pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States." This determination preceded the FCC's announcement by one week.
- The restriction does not prohibit existing device models previously authorized by the FCC. Routers produced abroad were directly implicated in the Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon cyberattacks targeting critical American communications, energy, transportation, and water infrastructure.
- Manufacturers may seek "Conditional Approval" by demonstrating security and shifting production to the United States. Simon Hill at Wired notes, "The only routers I know of that are manufactured in the US are some Starlink Wi-Fi routers, which are primarily made in Texas."
- Sean Hollister at The Verge questions whether domestic production increases safety, noting that security depends on manufacturer practices. Brian Krebs wrote that devices require "forcing users to perform basic hygiene such as changing the default password and updating the internal firmware.
50 Articles
50 Articles
From the FCC's grip to the suspicions on TP-Link, Washington accelerates on digital home security. In the background, the technological challenge with China and the risk of a new trade war
Threat from Chinese hackers moved FCC to ban all foreign internet routers
The Intelligence Community previously assessed that Chinese hackers were burrowing into U.S. network infrastructure to lie in wait for future attacks. The problem might be found in the countries of origin were routers are manufactured.
FCC Blocks Future Imports of Home Wi-Fi Routers
Americans may soon find their next Wi-Fi upgrade stuck in regulatory limbo. The Federal Communications Commission has moved to effectively block most new consumer routers made abroad from entering the US, arguing they pose "unacceptable" national security and cybersecurity risks. The decision adds all foreign-made consumer-grade routers to the agency's...
I Review Routers for a Living. Don’t Buy a Router Right Now
The Federal Communications Commission bans the sale of new foreign-made routers in the US to protect national security. The ironic side effect: It could stop your current router from receiving vital security updates.
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Bias Distribution
- 79% of the sources are Center
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