US Lawmakers Request the Commerce Department to Probe into Chinese WiFi Router Maker TP-Link

• Two US lawmakers John Moolenaar and Raja Krishnamoorthi wrote a letter to the Commerce Department, asking them to launch a probe into TP-Link and its affiliates.
• They believe that TP-Link's routers can be exploited to launch cyberattacks on the US.
• The Commerce Department has acknowledged the request and promised to respond in due time.

Republican Representative John Moolenaar and Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, who leads the House Select Committee on China, sent a letter to the Commerce Department on Tuesday, asking them to launch a probe into the Chinese company TP-Link.

We request that Commerce verify the threat posed by (China-affiliated small office/home office) routers -particularly those offered by the world's largest manufacturer, TP-Link' - The letter

TP-Link was founded in China in 1996 by two brothers. It is a top international seller of WiFi routers with the highest unit volumes sold.

But these two lawmakers are worried that TP-Link along with its affiliates pose a huge national security risk and its routers can be used in launching cyber attacks against the US.

They didn't mention how exactly these routers can be used to attack the US, but apparently, some unnamed vulnerabilities have already been exploited to target government officials working in European countries.

This isn't the first time we have heard of a vulnerability in TP-Link routers.

• Last year, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency also talked of a similar vulnerability that can be exploited to execute remote codes.
• Around the same time, U.S. security company Check Point also reported that a group of threat actors backed by the Chinese authorities used a malicious firmware implant for TP-Link to attack European foreign affairs officials.

Given the deteriorating relationship between the US and China and the recent instances of cyber attacks launched by Chinese hackers, this is certainly a matter of concern.

After all, just last year the US and its allies teamed up with Microsoft to disrupt a hacking campaign dubbed Volt Typhoon. It was a state-backed attack where Chinese hackers were trying to take control of privately owned routers (those routers were mostly made by Cisco and NetGear) to launch more severe attacks on critical American infrastructure.

What Happens Now?

The Commerce Department said it would respond to the letter soon through appropriate channels. If they find the accusations to be true, TP-Link and its products can be restricted or even banned in the US.

The Chinese Embassy has also responded to the letter and said that it hopes the authorities will have enough evidence to justify these cyberattack accusations instead of making baseless accusations.

Something Similar Happened With TikTok

This isn't the first time that US lawmakers have expressed concern over a Chinese company. Who can forget the iconic battle between TikTok and US authorities, which by the way is still going on.

Earlier this year, US lawmakers proposed a bill to force TikTok to cut ties with its parent company ByteDance (Which is a China-based company) or get banned in the US.

Authorities believe that any company with roots in China is vulnerable. The Chinese government might use its influence over the company and force them to spy on US citizens. Although both TikTok and ByteDance denied such accusations, the fear persists.

So now, TikTok has time until January 2025 to make a choice - either to leave ByteDance or leave the US.

However, TikTok has challenged this law in a federal appeals court, hoping to overturn it. The court will hold arguments on the case on September 16 and the verdict is expected to come out right before the presidential election.

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