US lawmakers are urging the Department of Commerce to investigate Wi-Fi router vendor TP-Link over concerns that the Chinese government could potentially exploit the company’s products for spying purposes. Representatives John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), who lead a House select committee focused on countering the Chinese government, have expressed fears that TP-Link’s routers, which are widely used in the US, could be compromised due to their manufacturing in China and a history of security vulnerabilities.
Despite lacking direct evidence of TP-Link’s involvement in state-sponsored espionage, the lawmakers emphasize the potential risks, particularly due to TP-Link’s compliance with China’s stringent national security laws. These laws could compel the company to hand over sensitive US data to Chinese authorities. The concern is heightened by reports from last year that Chinese military cyber forces used TP-Link routers in a hacking campaign targeting European government officials.
In their letter to US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, the lawmakers highlight that TP-Link products account for a significant share of the US Wi-Fi router market, including usage on US military bases. They request an assessment by August 30 on whether TP-Link poses a national security threat.
This scrutiny follows similar actions taken by the US government against Chinese companies like Huawei and ZTE, which were pushed out of the US market over national security concerns, despite their denials. However, the US has yet to take comparable action against other Chinese vendors, such as Lenovo or OnePlus. The lawmakers also noted that Chinese state-sponsored hackers have exploited routers from other companies, including Netgear and Cisco, to conduct espionage activities.
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