The Federal Communications Commission has added all consumer routers manufactured abroad to its Covered List, banning the sale of new foreign-made router models in the U.S. because of assessed supply-chain and national security risks, with the FCC citing use of such devices by threat actors like Volt and Salt Typhoon in attacks on critical infrastructure. The decision includes conditional exemptions and an alternative approval pathway that requires full transparency of ownership, supply chain and onshoring plans, while existing routers remain available and UAS firmware updates are allowed through January 1, 2027; consumers may face higher prices and reduced model availability. #Volt #SaltTyphoon
Keypoints
- The FCC added all foreign-made consumer routers to its Covered List, banning the sale of new models in the U.S.
- The move follows a national security determination that foreign-produced routers pose supply-chain risks to the economy and critical infrastructure.
- The FCC cited use of foreign-made routers by threat actors such as Volt and Salt Typhoon in attacks on U.S. infrastructure.
- An alternative approval path requires disclosure of ownership, bill of materials, manufacturing locations, software origins, and plans to onshore critical components.
- Existing routers remain on sale and UAS firmware updates are permitted until at least January 1, 2027, but new model availability and prices may worsen as some manufacturers exit the U.S. market.