The United States’ Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has declared that routers manufactured overseas will now be included in a list of equipment deemed to pose an unacceptable threat to national security. While this measure isn’t a formal, outright ban, the practical effect is that newer models of foreign consumer routers will be unable to secure FCC certification, thereby preventing their lawful sale or entry into the U.S. market.
The Commission justified this action by referencing a recent determination related to national security concerns. According to the FCC, routers produced abroad intended for residential and small business settings are increasingly being leveraged by malicious actors and state-sponsored hacker collectives to target American consumers. The official statement enumerates potential dangers ranging from communications disruption to espionage within local networks and the theft of proprietary information.
Furthermore, the regulatory body linked these foreign-made routers to cyber campaigns such as Volt Typhoon, Flax Typhoon, and Salt Typhoon, which have impacted essential U.S. infrastructure. The FCC asserts that the routers deployed within the country must originate from secure supply chains to mitigate the risk of backdoors being integrated into home, enterprise, and infrastructural systems.
This ruling does not impose restrictions on routers that have already been sold or previously received certification; these devices will continue to function and remain available commercially. Additionally, manufacturers theoretically retain the option to seek waivers via a conditional approval process, contingent upon securing clearance from relevant U.S. security agencies or establishing secure domestic manufacturing capabilities within the United States.
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