US targets TP-Link with a potential ban on the Chinese routers

Authorities in the US are considering a ban on TP-Link internet routers over national security concerns due to their repeated links to Chinese cyberattacks. Investigators at the Commerce, Defense, and Justice departments have all launched probes into the company, according to the Wall Street Journal, with TP-Link reportedly being subpoenaed by an office of the Commerce Department.

The WSJ reports that US authorities may ban the sale of TP-Link routers within the country next year. Action taken against TP-Link would likely fall to the incoming Trump administration.

TP-Link holds roughly 65 percent of the US router market for homes and small businesses, and its internet communications products are used by the Defense Department and other federal government agencies. The company’s market dominance is at least partly driven by the extreme low cost of its routers. The US Justice Department is investigating whether TP-Link sells products for less than they cost to produce in violation of a law that prohibits attempts at monopolies, according to the WSJ. 

The WSJ’s sources also say that TP-Link often fails to address security flaws that are routinely flagged in routers shipped to customers. In October, Microsoft disclosed a network of compromised network devices mostly manufactured by TP-Link that are regularly targeted by a Chinese government-linked hacking campaign.

An unnamed spokeswoman for TP-Link’s California-based business unit told the WSJ that the company assesses potential security risks and takes action to resolve known vulnerabilities. “We welcome any opportunities to engage with the US government to demonstrate that our security practices are fully in line with industry security standards, and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the US market, US consumers, and addressing US national security risks.”