The United States has expanded its crackdown on Chinese-made electronic devices by adding consumer-grade routers produced in foreign countries to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Covered List. The move is part of ongoing efforts to address national security concerns linked to such equipment.

According to a Reuters report, China currently controls around 60% of the US market for home routers. However, the latest decision will not affect existing devices already in use. Earlier, in December, the US had also banned the import of new models of Chinese drones.

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In its official press release, the FCC said, "Malicious actors have exploited security gaps in foreign-made routers to attack American households, disrupt networks, enable espionage, and facilitate intellectual property theft. Foreign-made routers were also involved in the Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon cyberattacks targeting vital US infrastructure."

What the FCC Covered List means

The FCC’s Covered List includes communication equipment and services considered a risk to US national security or public safety. Under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act, the FCC can update this list only based on directions from national security authorities.

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Devices included on this list cannot receive FCC equipment authorisation, which is required for import, marketing or sale in the US. This means that any new routers falling under this category will not be allowed to enter the US market.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has also advised organisations to refer to this list for risk management and compliance.