FCC targets foreign router imports amid rising cybersecurity concerns
FCC targets foreign router imports amid rising cybersecurity concerns
Publish Date: 2026-03-25 07:28:00
Source Domain: securityaffairs.com
FCC targets foreign router imports amid rising cybersecurity concerns
Pierluigi Paganini
March 25, 2026
The FCC will ban new foreign-made routers in the U.S. over security risks, unless approved by DHS or defense authorities.
The U.S. FCC announced a ban on importing new foreign-made consumer routers, citing unacceptable cyber and national security risks. The decision, backed by Executive Branch assessments, means such devices can no longer be sold or marketed in the U.S. unless they receive special approval.
Routers will be added to the Covered List, with exceptions only for those cleared by the Department of Homeland Security or defense authorities after the Department of Homeland Security or defense authorities verify they pose no threat to communications networks.
“Today, the Federal Communications Commission updated its Covered List to include all consumer-grade routers produced in foreign countries. Routers are the boxes in every home that connect computers, phones, and smart devices to the internet.” reads the announcement published by FCC. “This followed a determination by a White House-convened Executive Branch interagency body with appropriate national security expertise that such routers “pose unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons.””
The U.S. “Covered List” is a security list maintained by the Federal Communications Commission under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act.
It identifies communications equipment and services that pose national security risks to U.S. networks. Anything placed on this list is effectively banned from being authorized, marketed, or sold in the United States.
U.S. authorities warn that foreign-made routers create serious supply chain and cybersecurity risks, potentially disrupting the economy, critical infrastructure, and national…
