Accordingly, federal agencies in the US such as the Department of Commerce, Department of Defense and Department of Justice have simultaneously conducted investigations into Chinese network equipment manufacturers due to national security concerns.

The Wall Street Journal quoted sources as saying that the incoming Trump administration could ban the sale of TP-Link devices in 2025.

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TP-Link modems dominate the home and small business segment thanks to their low prices. Photo: BleepingComputer

TP-Link has been accused of failing to update its routers for security flaws before shipping them to customers. In October, a Microsoft study found that a network of devices, mostly made by TP-Link, was part of a large-scale cyberattack.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice is conducting an anti-dumping investigation against this company, as TP-Link dominates the US market thanks to its very cheap product prices.

TP-Link was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Shenzhen, China. It holds 65% of the US market share for Internet routers for homes and small businesses. Some companies in the Department of Defense, NASA, and the federal government also commonly use this brand.

Faced with the prospect of the largest ban on Chinese telecommunications equipment since Huawei's case in 2019 in the US, a TP-Link representative said the company is assessing potential security risks and will promptly patch thoroughly when discovered.

"We welcome any opportunity to work with the US government to demonstrate that our security practices are fully aligned with industry security standards and demonstrate our commitment to the US market, US consumers and addressing US national security risks," the person said.

(According to WSJ)

China hoards semiconductor equipment thanks to information 'inside' the US Department of Commerce The New York Times quoted sources as saying that some Chinese companies promptly stockpiled important semiconductor equipment thanks to information leaked from inside the US Department of Commerce.