Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers is asking federal regulators to address security concerns surrounding TP-Link before allowing the company to sell new router models in the U.S.
Hilgers is leading a coalition of 21 state attorneys general that sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission as TP-Link seeks conditional approval for the new models.
The coalition's concerns center on TP-Link's operations and supply chain in China. The attorneys general say the company continues to rely heavily on research, development and manufacturing operations there.
TP-Link recently opened a manufacturing plant in Vietnam, but according to the coalition, most of the components used at the facility are imported from or through China. The attorneys general also allege the contractor that built the plant has ties to the Chinese military.
“TP-Link’s products and systems still have strong connections to China, and its supply chain continues to be intertwined with China’s state-sponsored technology ecosystem,” Hilgers said. “Consumers should be aware of these risks and the FCC should address them before authorizing these new routers for sale in U.S. markets.”
The letter comes days after a lawsuit was filed over allegations that TP-Link made deceptive statements to consumers about the privacy and security of its routers.
The attorney general's office says TP-Link controls at least 60% of the U.S. retail market for Wi-Fi systems and routers used in homes and small offices.
The coalition also pointed to previous cyberattacks involving TP-Link routers. According to the attorney general's office, Russian intelligence and Chinese state actors have previously gained unauthorized access to the company's routers and used compromised devices in botnets.
The attorneys general say compromised routers can potentially give hackers access to networks and sensitive information, including private communications, passwords and financial records.
Attorneys general from 20 other states joined Hilgers in sending the letter to the FCC.