THE US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has banned the import and sale of all “consumer-grade” internet routers produced in a foreign country, citing “an unacceptable risk” to the national security of the US. The ban, announced in an FCC public notice on 23 March 2026, means that all such routers made in foreign countries are now placed on the FCC’s covered list.
The exceptions include routers that have been granted a conditional approval by the US Department of Defense (DoD) or Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with the list of exceptions currently including drone systems and online surveillance systems. The agency noted that foreign-made routers were directly implicated in the Volt Typhoon, Flax and Salt Typhoon cyber-attacks which targeted critical American infrastructure.
Existing Wi‑Fi and wired routers in use may continue operating without restriction, and some previously authorised imports may be maintained for specific models. Industry voices warned that focusing on country of origin risks oversimplifying a broader security challenge, emphasising that routers are high-value control points and that governance and patching practices are critical.