In the United States, authorities are investigating to what extent the Chinese company TP-Link poses a national threat.
In the United States, the country’s authorities have begun an investigation into the operations of a router company connected to Chinese cyber attacks, reports the financial newspaper The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
It’s Chinese router manufacturer TP-Link, which controls about 65 percent of the market for routers sold to homes and small businesses in the United States.
In addition, the company’s products have also been used, for example, in the US Ministry of Defense and other federal agencies, the magazine says.
An analysis published by the software giant Microsoft in October reveals that Chinese hackers maintain a large network, which consists mainly of TP-Link routers.
Numerous Chinese actors have used the network in question in cyberattacks, which have been targeted, among other things, against Western think tanks, state organizations and non-governmental organizations, says WSJ.
In addition, the magazine reported that TP-Link often delivered defective products to its customers, and responded inadequately to notifications made about this. The company has also not wanted to cooperate with information security researchers who are concerned about this.
The ongoing official investigation will determine to what extent TP-Link poses a national threat to the United States, and whether the sale of the company’s routers will be banned in 2025, sources tell the WSJ.
The decision will be left to the Trump administration
According to Talouslehti, the outgoing president Joe Biden the administration is now exploring possible action against TP-Link as part of a response to cyberattacks linked to China.
Actions against the company, however, will probably fall on the shoulders of the future administration. Taking office as president in January Donald Trump has hinted that it intends to take an aggressive approach towards China.
U.S. authorities have so far presented no evidence that TP-Link knowingly acted as a conduit for Chinese state-sponsored cyberattacks. The company’s unit operating in the United States has announced after the authorities’ investigation began that it will assess possible data security risks and take steps to correct any deficiencies.
Spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington Liu Pengyu on the other hand, recently commented on the issue, claiming that the US is using national security as an excuse to “suppress Chinese companies”.
According to Pengyu, China will defend the rights and interests of Chinese companies.
The products are also popular in Finland
TP-Link’s routers have also been criticized elsewhere.
In the past, for example, Taiwan, which widely restricts the use of Chinese technology, has banned TP-Link routers in government and educational institutions.
India, which was in disputes with China, also issued a warning about TP-Link this year, stating that routers pose a security risk.
TP-Link routers are sold in Finland by e.g. Verkkokauppa, Gigantti and Power.
See what was said about modem data security in aamin’s Jälkidig: