FCC bans wireless router imports, citing security concerns

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: msn/Bloomberg

7h


(Bloomberg) -- The Federal Communications Commission ordered a ban on the import of new models of foreign-produced consumer wireless routers after an interagency panel determined they threaten national security. While the FCC said companies could apply for exemptions, the move could dramatically shake up the market for routers, which are primarily made overseas.

Consumers and businesses connect wired internet lines to routers to create Wi-Fi networks for computers, phones, TVs, cameras and other internet-enabled products. The action puts further pressure on TP-Link Systems Inc., one of the world’s largest makers of routers. The company, which was founded in China 30 years ago but which has since set up its headquarters in Irvine, California, is already facing investigations by the Trump administration over concerns that its connections to China could threaten national security.

“TP-Link is confident in the security of our supply chain, and we welcome this evaluation of the entire industry,” a company spokesperson said. “While the rule doesn’t name China, the direction of travel is pretty clear, and it raises the stakes for how the US approaches connected devices going forward,” said Craig Singleton, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Other router makers include Netgear Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google Nest, Amazon.com Inc.’s Eero, Cisco Systems Inc., Linksys and Asustek Computer Inc. They all build their products overseas. The import ban is in place regardless of the nationality of the developer. Many of the router makers are based in the US.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/fcc-bans-wireless-router-imports-citing-security-concerns/ar-AA1ZfNb2

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This was all stemming from the Raygun "off-shoring for cheap (non-union) labor to maximize profits" business model.

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. BBC notes that Elon Musk's router is unaffected

by an amazing coincidence:

One exception to the general absence of US-made routers is the newer Starlink WiFi router. Starlink is part of Elon Musk's company SpaceX.

The company says the Starlink routers are made in Texas.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74787w149zo

[Sweet Rosie Red]

13. Complete with backdoors for Palantir, NSA, etc, etc......

Wait till the prices jump! Remember running wires? Not fun!

[OldBaldy1701E]

2. And, once again, we see yet another maneuver to fix things so that only the rich can afford to have the 'good stuff'.

They did this to make it all but impossible for the general public to get anything other than the crap that they will have had treated per their specifications. Those specs will not be anything like the ones we have access to now.

They don't want us connected. They don't want us talking to each other. They don't want us to be anything other than good little serfs.

And, generally speaking, they are getting what they want.

[BadgerKid]

6. This one is more legit due to possible spyware in the chips

But the article doesnt mention that. That story was making the rounds perhaps a few years ago.

[HarryM]

8. But they patched that

I would imagine that a firmware update came out to fix that

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Maybe old routers will be in demand again

[Sweet Rosie Red]

14. Very little current hardware has hardwire inputs and old wi fi routers are security Swiss cheese.

[Cheezoholic]

4. "While the FCC said companies could apply for exemptions" Shakedown, 100%, and into his pocket n/t

[Woodwizard]

5. I am more concerned about our own country spying on us

Like Flock cameras. And all the ways they can track our phones and devices already.

So now they come out with the gold trump router with special touches from Steven Miller.

[durablend]

10. "American spyware good, Chinese spyware BAD BAD BAD"

Mhmm

[littlemissmartypants]

16. Bingo!

[sinkingfeeling]

7. So, if you want a router, you're going to be forced to buy one made by Musk.

I don't trust his junk. We've used Cisco and Netgear for decades.

[lonely bird]

9. We still have an Apple Airport

Still works fine.

[sinkingfeeling]

12. It was still made in China. Discontinued in 2018.

[mwmisses4289]

11. More correctly, starlink routers are assembled in texas.

Most of the component parts are most likely manufactured in various countries overseas, mostly in Asia.

[Sweet Rosie Red]

15. Complete with applicable pre programmed spyware! Rule of thumb:

If you don’t want to see your business on the front page of the NYT. keep it off the internet!

[davepdx]

17. Sounds like a lot of blame shifting to me

Note that the linked article says: "The agency added that foreign-made routers were exploited in the Volt, Flax and Salt Typhoon cyberattacks targeting US infrastructure." You'd have to believe that where the US infrastructure attacks occurred were using consumer grade routers to justify this stupid ruling.

The facilities attacked should have been using enterprise grade routers. IMO, it is the software on the routers, particularly on the enterprise grade routers, that are the cause. Known but unfixed, undiscovered or unseen programming errors/bugs in proprietary software are, imo, the major contributing factors to these hacking situations along with social engineering.

How many people actually know how to and have ever upgraded their consumer grade router software? Bugs are found all the time and vendors post fixes for the router software. Requiring a fix the difficulty of upgrading firmware situation is would be more useful I'd think.

So my takeaway of "let's blame consumer routers for the problem" just frustrates me no end.