Chinese-Made TP-Link Routers Face U.S. Scrutiny Over Security Concerns

Lawmakers and experts debate the risks of Chinese-manufactured routers, which dominate U.S. home networks, as cybersecurity vulnerabilities raise national security questions.

U.S. lawmakers, including Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, are raising alarms about potential national security risks linked to TP-Link routers, which hold a 65% market share in U.S. home and small business networks.
Concerns stem from alleged vulnerabilities in TP-Link devices, with critics citing their compliance with Chinese laws and past connections to cyberattacks attributed to Chinese state actors.
Cybersecurity experts highlight that many router security issues, including those involving TP-Link, often result from poor configuration or default settings rather than inherent flaws in the devices themselves.
TP-Link has denied allegations of cybersecurity vulnerabilities and stated that most of its routers sold in the U.S. are manufactured in Vietnam, not China, and emphasized its commitment to addressing security concerns.
The scrutiny of TP-Link reflects broader U.S.-China tech tensions, with potential policy outcomes that could reshape how foreign-made technology is regulated in critical infrastructure and consumer markets.