US Government Considers Ban on Popular TP-Link Routers Over Security Fears A potential ban on TP-Link routers is gaining support from multiple US government agencies, according to a report. The Commerce Department is considering the move following a months-long interagency review this summer that involved the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and Defense. These discussions are part of ongoing national security investigations into the company that have been underway since at least last year. The central concern driving the potential ban is the allegation that TP-Link retains ties to China. While the company split from its Chinese corporate parent, TP-Link Technologies, to become a standalone entity in 2022, US officials remain wary. They point to Chinese laws that they say could compel the company to comply with requests from Chinese intelligence agencies. A specific fear is that TP-Link could be pressured to push malicious software updates to the millions of routers it has installed in American homes and businesses. TP-Link has strongly denied these allegations. A company spokesperson stated that any adverse action would not impact China but would instead harm an American company. The US-based TP-Link Systems has asserted that it is not subject to the direction of the People’s Republic of China intelligence apparatus. TP-Link routers are a dominant force in the US market. The company itself claims a 36 percent market share, but earlier this year, former American cybersecurity official Rob Joyce testified before Congress that its share could be as high as 60 percent. He suggested this was achieved in part by selling equipment below cost to drive out competition. This potential ban is the latest development in the complex trade and security relationship between the US and China. While recent trade talks have seen a temporary pause on new punitive tariffs, sources indicate that a ban on TP-Link products is still being used as a bargaining chip by the US administration. The situation highlights the ongoing scrutiny of technology with perceived links to China over fears of espionage and cyberattacks.
