Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
US lawmakers are urging a probe into TP-Link due to fears of possible cyberattacks, citing vulnerabilities in TP-Link devices used for malicious purposes. The investigation is in response to concerns about national security risks posed by China-affiliated routers.
Summary:
Two representatives of the House Select Committee on China have called for an investigation into TP-Link over possible national security risks. This comes after previous incidents of TP-Link device vulnerabilities being exploited for espionage. The known vulnerabilities in TP-Link devices are seen as a glaring national security issue, prompting the lawmakers to reach out to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) highlighted potential vulnerabilities in TP-Link routers that could be exploited for remote code execution. Additionally, a US security company found evidence of a Chinese state-sponsored cyber group spying on European officials by implanting malware in TP-Link routers.
While TP-Link denies any security vulnerabilities in its products and mentions that their routers are not sold in the US, concerns about China targeting Wi-Fi routers for cyberattacks persist. The Chinese Embassy has called for evidence-based identification of cyber-related incidents rather than speculative allegations.
The US and allies have released intelligence suggesting that China may exploit Wi-Fi routers for clandestine attacks on critical infrastructure. However, it was clarified that the routers cited in the intelligence were manufactured by Cisco and Netgear, not TP-Link.
Overall, the call for a probe into TP-Link underscores growing concerns about cybersecurity threats posed by foreign entities and the need to protect network infrastructure from potential cyberattacks.
