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Consumer-grade routers manufactured in foreign countries are now on the FCC’s list of products considered to be national security threats.
By Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States has taken a step to heed President Donald Trump’s call to close security gaps in the United States by placing foreign made routers on the FCC’s list of products deemed to pose unacceptable security risks.
As a result of the move, foreign-made consumer grade routers will now be prohibited from receiving FCC authorization, in line with the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act.
“Following President Trump’s leadership, the FCC will continue do our part in making sure that U.S. cyberspace, critical infrastructure, and supply chains are safe and secure,” Chairman Brendan Carr said in a statement included with the FCC’s release.
An exemption for routers granted conditional approval by the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security was also included in the FCC’s decision.
Existing routers not impacted by the decision
Meanwhile, the FCC also urged producers of foreign made routers to submit conditional approval applications.
“As outlined below, today’s action does not impact a consumer’s continued use of routers they previously acquired. Nor does it prevent retailers from continuing to sell, import, or market router models approved previously through the FCC’s equipment authorization process,” the FCC’s release stated. “By operation of the FCC’s Covered List rules, the restrictions imposed today apply to new device models.”
The move is being billed as in line with the president’s strategy for national security, announced in 2025.
“The United States must never be dependent on any outside power for core components—from raw materials to parts to finished
products—necessary to the nation’s defense or economy,” the strategy stated.
A full list of companies and products featured on the FCC’s list of products covered under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act can be found online at the FCC’s website.
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