Finding additional memory for your PC is already a challenge. Now, connecting to the internet could get tougher, too.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a notice Monday that will prohibit all new consumer-grade routers that were not made in the United States. Routers made in other countries, the alert read, “pose unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons.”
At least 60% of the routers in U.S. homes are made overseas, with the majority coming from China. Officials fear China could exploit those devices to launch attacks on critical infrastructure or steal sensitive information.
“Malicious actors have exploited security gaps in foreign-made routers to attack American households, disrupt networks, enable espionage, and facilitate intellectual property theft,” the FCC wrote. “Foreign made routers were also involved in the Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon cyberattacks targeting vital U.S. infrastructure.”
The ban applies only to new routers from other countries. The agency is recommending no action for devices already in homes and businesses. Retailers can continue selling existing inventory, and routers previously authorized by the FCC can still be imported, sold, and used. That suggests any suspected risk is not viewed as immediate.
The order is likely to face legal challenges.
The move is the latest step in the Trump Administration’s 2025 National Security Strategy, which states “the United States must never be dependent on any outside power for core components—from raw materials to parts to finished products—necessary to the nation’s defense or economy.”
