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US considering blocking TP-Link equipment
U.S. authorities are considering banning TP-Link internet routers over national security concerns, after they were repeatedly linked to Chinese cyberattacks. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that investigators from the Departments of Commerce, Defense and Justice have launched investigations into the company, and TP-Link has also reportedly received a subpoena.
TP-Link has about a 65 percent share of the U.S. market for home and small business routers, and its Internet communications products are also used by the Department of Defense and other federal government agencies. Its dominant position in the market is at least partly due to the extremely low price of its routers. The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether TP-Link is selling products at a price below their cost of production, violating antitrust laws, according to the WSJ.
Sources also claim that TP-Link often fails to patch security flaws that were routinely found in routers shipped to customers. In October, Microsoft revealed a network of compromised networking devices, mostly manufactured by TP-Link, that were regularly targeted by a hacking campaign linked to the Chinese government.
An unnamed spokeswoman for TP-Link’s California-based business unit told the WSJ that the company regularly assesses potential security risks and takes steps to address known vulnerabilities. “We welcome any opportunity to work with the U.S. government to demonstrate that our security practices are fully compliant with industry security standards, and to demonstrate our continued commitment to the U.S. market, U.S. consumers, and addressing risks to U.S. national security.”
