US lawmakers urge probe into TP-Link over fears of possible cyberattacks
TP-Link Wi-Fi routers could be reportedly used for malicious purposes
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Two representatives of the House Select Committee on China have called for TP-Link to be investigated over possible national security risks.
Republican Representative John Moolenaar and Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi cited previous examples of TP-Link device vulnerabilities being used to snoop on European government officials.
The known vulnerabilities in TP-Link devices are a “glaring national security issue” the pair stated in a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo (viaReuters).
China looking to target Wi-Fi routers
“…We request that Commerce verify the threat posed by (China-affiliated small office/home office) routers —particularly those offered by the world’s largest manufacturer, TP-Link,” the letter stated.
Microsoft, alongside the US and allies, released intelligence that suggested China sought to take advantage of Wi-Fi routers to launch clandestine attacks on US critical infrastructure. However a later statement from the Justice Department said that many of the routers cited in the intelligence were manufactured by Cisco andNetgear.
TP-Link released a statement saying that their routers products are not sold in the US, and that their Wi-Fi routers do not have security vulnerabilities.
Additionally, the Chinese Embassy said it hopes US authorities will “have enough evidence when identifying cyber-related incidents, rather than make groundless speculations and allegations."
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The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) last year pointed out a potential vulnerability in TP-Link routers that could be abused to execute remote code, with US security company Check Point also finding evidence that a Chinese state-sponsored cyber group spied on European officials by installing a firmware implant loaded withmalware.
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Benedict has been writing about security issues for over 7 years, first focusing on geopolitics and international relations while at the University of Buckingham. During this time he studied BA Politics with Journalism, for which he received a second-class honours (upper division), then continuing his studies at a postgraduate level, achieving a distinction in MA Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy. Upon joining TechRadar Pro as a Staff Writer, Benedict transitioned his focus towards cybersecurity, exploring state-sponsored threat actors, malware, social engineering, and national security. Benedict is also an expert on B2B security products, including firewalls, antivirus, endpoint security, and password management.
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