FCC Bans Import of New Foreign Consumer Routers

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on Monday a ban on the importation of all new foreign consumer routers. This move is part of a broader effort to restrict Chinese-made electronic devices amid ongoing security concerns.

It’s estimated that Chinese manufacturers hold about 60% of the market share for home routers in the U.S. These routers are essential for connecting various devices—like computers, smartphones, and smart home gadgets—to the Internet.

Notably, this FCC order only affects new models; existing routers can still be used without any issues.

The decision followed a review led by the White House, which identified that imported routers could pose “serious cybersecurity risks that might seriously disrupt critical infrastructure within the United States.”

The FCC articulated that malicious entities have taken advantage of security vulnerabilities in foreign routers to carry out various attacks—such as espionage and intellectual property theft—pointing to their involvement in significant hacks like Bolt and Salt Typhoon.

This ruling allows some exceptions for routers deemed safe by the Department of Defense.

There have been ongoing security discussions about Chinese routers, and Michigan Rep. John Moolener, who chairs the House Select Committee on China, expressed support for the FCC’s decision. “Today’s strong actions taken by the FCC and the prior administration will help safeguard our nation from cyber threats originating from China,” he stated. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that these devices don’t form part of America’s critical infrastructure.

The Chinese embassy in Washington has not made any immediate comments regarding this ban.

Additionally, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently sued TP-Link Systems—a California-based router manufacturer that has ties to China—accusing them of deceptively marketing their products and allegedly allowing Chinese access to U.S. consumer devices.

TP-Link Systems has responded by asserting that it will protect its reputation, stating that there is no connection to the Chinese government concerning ownership, control over their products, or user data.

It’s worth mentioning that the FCC had previously imposed a similar restriction in December, which prohibited the import of new Chinese-made drones.