House lawmakers push Commerce Department to probe Chinese Wi-Fi router company | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/commerce-department-investigation-chinese-wifi-router-company\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"House lawmakers push Commerce Department to probe Chinese Wi-Fi router company\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The top representatives from the chamber\u2019s U.S.-China competition committee want an investigation into TP-Link Technologies and an assessment of its national security risks.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/commerce-department-investigation-chinese-wifi-router-company\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-08-16T17:57:17+00:00\"> <meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/house-lawmakers-push-commerce-department-to-probe-chinese-wi-fi-router-company-2.jpg\"> <meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\"> <meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"682\"> <meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\"> <meta name=\"author\" content=\"mbracken\"> <meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\">  <link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" href=\"\/\/securepubads.g.doubleclick.net\">\n<link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" href=\"\/\/use.typekit.net\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/rss+xml\" title=\"CyberScoop \u00bb Feed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/feed\/\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/rss+xml\" title=\"CyberScoop \u00bb Comments Feed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/comments\/feed\/\"> <link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"all-css-2\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-includes\/css\/dist\/block-library\/style.min.css?m=1721926675g\" type=\"text\/css\" media=\"all\"> <link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"all-css-6\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/mu-plugins\/search\/elasticpress\/dist\/css\/related-posts-block-styles.min.css?m=1723669469g\" type=\"text\/css\" media=\"all\"> <link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"all-css-8\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/themes\/scoopnewsgroup\/dist\/css\/frontend.css?m=1721764637g\" type=\"text\/css\" media=\"all\">\n<link rel=\"stylesheet\" id=\"typekit-css\" href=\"https:\/\/use.typekit.net\/itk2qbh.css?ver=ada0ad45b21fc79c6694\" media=\"all\"> <link rel=\"https:\/\/api.w.org\/\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/\"><link rel=\"alternate\" title=\"JSON\" type=\"application\/json\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81424\"><link rel=\"EditURI\" type=\"application\/rsd+xml\" title=\"RSD\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/xmlrpc.php?rsd\">\n<meta name=\"generator\" content=\"WordPress 6.6.1\">\n<link rel=\"shortlink\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=81424\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" title=\"oEmbed (JSON)\" type=\"application\/json+oembed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/oembed\/1.0\/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcyberscoop.com%2Fcommerce-department-investigation-chinese-wifi-router-company%2F\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" title=\"oEmbed (XML)\" type=\"text\/xml+oembed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-json\/oembed\/1.0\/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcyberscoop.com%2Fcommerce-department-investigation-chinese-wifi-router-company%2F&format=xml\">   <link rel=\"icon\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=32\" sizes=\"32x32\">\n<link rel=\"icon\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=192\" sizes=\"192x192\">\n<link rel=\"apple-touch-icon\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=180\">\n<meta name=\"msapplication-TileImage\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=270\"> <\/head><body class=\"post-template-default single single-post postid-81424 single-format-standard\" id=\"readabilityBody\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/commerce-department-investigation-chinese-wifi-router-company\/#main\" class=\"skip-to-content-link visually-hidden-focusable\">Skip to main content<\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <main id=\"main\" role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--event js-stickybar\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__details\" readability=\"4.952380952381\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__info js-sticky-bar-content\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Voting is open for the 2024 CyberScoop 50 awards! <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <a class=\"stickybar__link button button-tertiary\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyberscoop50\/vote\/\">Click here!<\/a> <\/div>\n<p> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.329505300353\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"30.25\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/news\/cybersecurity\/\"> <span>Cybersecurity<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> The top representatives from the chamber\u2019s U.S.-China competition committee want an investigation into TP-Link Technologies and an assessment of its national security risks. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/house-lawmakers-push-commerce-department-to-probe-chinese-wi-fi-router-company.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/house-lawmakers-push-commerce-department-to-probe-chinese-wi-fi-router-company-2.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/house-lawmakers-push-commerce-department-to-probe-chinese-wi-fi-router-company-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/house-lawmakers-push-commerce-department-to-probe-chinese-wi-fi-router-company-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/house-lawmakers-push-commerce-department-to-probe-chinese-wi-fi-router-company-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/house-lawmakers-push-commerce-department-to-probe-chinese-wi-fi-router-company-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/house-lawmakers-push-commerce-department-to-probe-chinese-wi-fi-router-company-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/house-lawmakers-push-commerce-department-to-probe-chinese-wi-fi-router-company-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> A picture taken on Feb. 28, 2023, shows the logo of TP-Link, a manufacturer of computer networking products, and its app Aginet, at the Mobile World Congress, the telecom industry’s biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona. (Photo by PAU BARRENA\/AFP via Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"29.550657174151\"><body readability=\"59.648936170213\"><\/p>\n<p>Top lawmakers on an influential House committee on U.S.-China issues are urging the Commerce Department to investigate a Chinese company that makes a Wi-Fi router widely in use throughout the United States. <\/p>\n<p>In a <a href=\"https:\/\/selectcommitteeontheccp.house.gov\/sites\/evo-subsites\/selectcommitteeontheccp.house.gov\/files\/evo-media-document\/2024-08-13%20Letter%20to%20Commerce%20re%20TP-Link%20(filed).pdf\">letter sent this week<\/a>, Reps. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., asked Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to open an investigation into TP-Link Technologies and its affiliates to determine whether the maker of Wi-Fi routers, devices and mesh network devices presents a national security risk.<\/p>\n<p>Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi, the chair and ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, respectively, wrote that Commerce can open a probe under the department\u2019s information and communication technology services authorities, noting that open-source information suggests that the company \u201cmay represent a serious threat\u201d to IT security.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTP-Link\u2019s unusual degree of vulnerabilities and required compliance with [People\u2019s Republic of China] law are in and of themselves disconcerting,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/selectcommitteeontheccp.house.gov\/media\/press-releases\/moolenaar-krishnamoorthi-call-investigation-chinese-wi-fi-routers-us?ref=metacurity.com\">the lawmakers wrote<\/a>. \u201cWhen combined with the PRC government\u2019s common use of SOHO [small office\/home office] routers like TP-Link to perpetrate extensive cyberattacks in the United States, it becomes significantly alarming.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Citing industry reports and press releases, Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi wrote that TP-Link \u2014 which also manufactures hardware and software components \u2014 is the largest global provider of Wi-Fi technology, selling more than 160 million products yearly in more than 170 countries. The company\u2019s SOHO routers are commonplace in the United States, including on military bases.<\/p>\n<p>In calling on Commerce to \u201cproperly mitigate this glaring national security issue,\u201d Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi are following the lead of several current and former U.S. national security officials who have sounded the alarm on the increasingly urgent threats China poses to multiple critical infrastructure sectors. <\/p>\n<p>Officials from the FBI, National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have all warned of <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/feds-chinese-hacking-operations-have-been-in-critical-infrastructure-networks-for-five-years\/\">Chinese hacking operations embedded in U.S. critical infrastructure networks<\/a> for years, \u201cpre-positioning\u201d in IT systems to <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/fbi-warns-china-preparing-for-disruptive-attacks\/\">launch attacks and disrupt operations<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/tag\/volt-typhoon\/\">Volt Typhoon<\/a> and other Chinese APT groups have drawn most of the ire from U.S. officials, with FBI Director Christopher Wray testifying before the House committee in January that the groups present \u201cthe defining threat of our generation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The letter to Commerce notes that threat, citing \u201cexpert analysis\u201d from 2023 that found such groups to be \u201cconsistently\u201d exploiting known vulnerabilities in TP-Link routers as part of malicious campaigns that have targeted European government officials. <\/p>\n<p>Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi asked Raimondo to respond to their request by the end of the month, with assessments of the national security risks posed by TP-Link SOHO routes and whether ICTS authorities can effectively address those risks. <\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"4.4444444444444\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"15\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/house-lawmakers-push-commerce-department-to-probe-chinese-wi-fi-router-company-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Matt Bracken\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Matt Bracken<\/h4>\n<p> Matt Bracken is the managing editor of FedScoop and CyberScoop, overseeing coverage of federal government technology policy and cybersecurity. Before joining Scoop News Group in 2023, Matt was a senior editor at Morning Consult, leading data-driven coverage of tech, finance, health and energy. He previously worked in various editorial roles at The Baltimore Sun and the Arizona Daily Star. 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{"id":4915,"date":"2024-08-16T12:57:17","date_gmt":"2024-08-16T17:57:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=81424"},"modified":"2024-08-16T12:57:17","modified_gmt":"2024-08-16T17:57:17","slug":"house-lawmakers-push-commerce-department-to-probe-chinese-wi-fi-router-company","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2024\/08\/16\/house-lawmakers-push-commerce-department-to-probe-chinese-wi-fi-router-company\/","title":{"rendered":"House lawmakers push Commerce Department to probe Chinese Wi-Fi router company"},"content":{"rendered":"