“US authorities are investigating whether a Chinese company whose popular home internet router has been linked to cyber attacks poses a national security threat and is considering banning its devices.”, — write: epravda.com.ua
US authorities are investigating whether a Chinese company whose popular home internet router has been linked to cyber attacks poses a national security threat and is considering banning its devices. This is reported by The Wall Street Journal. TP-Link, a router manufacturer, was founded in China and has about 65% of the US home and small business router market. TP-Link is being investigated by the US Departments of Commerce, Defense and Justice. Authorities may ban the sale of TP-Link routers in the U.S. next year, according to sources familiar with the situation. One of the departments of the Ministry of Commerce has already sent the company a subpoena.Advertisement: Actions against the company are likely to be initiated by the administration of Donald Trump, which declares a tough approach to China. According to a Microsoft analysis published in October, a Chinese hacking group maintains a large network of compromised network devices, mostly consisting of thousands of TP-Link routers. This network is used by various Chinese hackers to launch cyber attacks. Their targets were Western organizations, including think tanks, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and suppliers to the US Department of Defense.Advertisement: TP-Link routers are often shipped to customers with security vulnerabilities that the company often ignores, according to knowledgeable sources. While routers from other manufacturers may also be vulnerable, TP-Link is said to not cooperate with researchers who discover these issues. TP-Link sells its products in the US through a division located in California. A representative of this division said that the company evaluates potential security risks and takes steps to eliminate known vulnerabilities. “We stand ready to work with the U.S. government to demonstrate that our security practices meet industry standards and our continued commitment to the U.S. market, American consumers, and U.S. national security,” she said. When asked about possible action against TP-Link, Liu Pengyu, a representative of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said that the US is using the pretext of national security to “suppress Chinese companies”. He added that Beijing will “resolutely protect” the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese firms.