Two United States (U.S) lawmakers, Republican Representative John Moolenaar and Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, are urging the Biden administration to investigate China’s TP-Link Technology Co. for potential national security risks.
Their concern centres on the widespread use of TP-Link WiFi routers, which they fear could be exploited in cyberattacks against the U.S, according to Reuters.
The lawmakers requested that the Commerce Department assess the threat posed by these routers, describing it as a “glaring national security issue.”
The Commerce Department stated it would respond appropriately, while the Chinese Embassy cautioned against making unfounded accusations. TP-Link has not yet commented on the matter.
Last year, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency identified a vulnerability in TP-Link routers that could be exploited to execute remote code, raising security concerns.
Simultaneously, U.S. security firm Check Point reported that hackers connected to a Chinese state-sponsored group had used a malicious firmware implant in TP-Link routers to target European foreign affairs officials.
Given these risks, the Commerce Department has the authority to ban or restrict transactions between U.S. companies and tech firms from “foreign adversary” nations, including China, if their products are deemed a national security threat.