U.S. banning out-of-country production routers 🚨

The US Communications Regulatory Commission (FCC) announced the addition of "overseas-made routers" to the Covered List, resulting in newer routers manufactured outside the US not being able to be imported and released locally unless approved as a special case.

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The measure is attributed to cybersecurity concerns, after security agencies found that hacker groups with state links such as Volt Typhoon and Flax Typhoon relied on the vulnerability of home-based routers and small offices (SOHOs) as an attack channel on the country's critical infrastructure, both communications, power and transportation systems.

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Foreign routers are active in virtually every U.S. household, according to the FCC, and may be used as backdoor embedded channels since the supply chain level. It is therefore considered an "unacceptable risk to national security." The guidelines are also consistent with Donald Trump's 2025 security strategy seeking to reduce dependence on foreign technology.

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The impact is very wide because more than 60% of the U.S. router market is now manufactured overseas. Major brands like TP-Link, Asus, Netgear, Linksys and D-Link are all affected. Although some companies are American, they have manufacturing bases outside the country.

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However, this directive applies only to "new generation routers." Devices previously used or certified by consumers are still normally valid. Manufacturers can also apply for conditional approval from security agencies.

Analysts see this measure as potentially driving up the price of network equipment and squeezing manufacturers to move their manufacturing base in the future, while in the network industry itself is starting to question it, because almost no router is actually made entirely in the US.

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Source: Neowin FCC

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