The United States has enacted a ban on the sale and import of new consumer internet routers manufactured outside the country. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) updated its covered list to include all foreign-made consumer-grade routers, citing significant national security and cybersecurity concerns.
This regulatory action aligns the treatment of foreign-made routers with previously banned foreign-made drones. The FCC’s decision explicitly prohibits the marketing and sale of new consumer-grade router models that are produced outside of the United States.
The commission determined that these devices present unacceptable risks to U.S. national security. A primary goal of the ban is to ensure trusted supply chains and prevent foreign actors from establishing potential backdoors into American homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure.
Over the past year, concerns have grown regarding the security of consumer routers, which are frequently viewed as accessible entry points for malicious actors. The FCC noted that vulnerabilities in foreign-produced routers have been exploited to facilitate cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure, including water systems, transportation, energy, and communications.
These vulnerabilities have been linked to espionage, network disruption, and intellectual property theft. The government’s decisive action addresses vulnerabilities exploited by actors conducting cyberattacks such as Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon, with the FCC noting suspicions that some attacks leveraging these vulnerabilities are state-sponsored by China.
Despite the new regulations, consumers will not lose access to their current devices. The ban only applies to new models; individuals can continue using the routers they already own, and previously authorized models remain legal for sale.
The decision is expected to broadly impact the router industry. The vast majority of consumer routers are currently manufactured or assembled overseas in countries like China and Taiwan. This includes models designed in the U.S. by companies such as Netgear, which manufacture their products abroad and are now subject to the new rules for upcoming models.
To navigate these regulations, companies seeking to market new foreign-made routers in the U.S. have the option to apply for conditional approval. Securing this approval may require manufacturers to demonstrate concrete plans to establish or expand their manufacturing operations within the United States.
Additionally, there is a mechanism for specific routers to be exempted from the ban. The Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security can deem certain devices acceptable, although no specific exemptions have been granted to date.