ACCORDING to the Federal Communications Commission, the Secure Networks Act directs the FCC to publish a Covered List of equipment and services deemed to pose an unacceptable national security risk. In March 2026, the FCC expanded its Covered List to include all consumer-grade routers produced in foreign countries, broadening the regulation beyond earlier targets.
The article explains that “equipment” covers devices such as telecommunications hardware, video surveillance cameras, uncrewed aircraft systems, and consumer-grade routers, while “services” include telecommunications and video surveillance services and information security offerings.
It notes that several named vendors appear on the list, including Huawei Technologies Company, ZTE Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, Dahua Technology Company, AO Kaspersky Lab, and various China-based carriers, with the rationale that they pose an unacceptable risk to United States security.
The operational impact described includes tighter procurement controls, potential remediations of existing environments, and the possibility of heightened third-party risk management, while the FCC stated there is no requirement to remove previously purchased consumer-grade routers. The article also highlights challenges such as asset visibility and the evolving scope from company-specific to origin-based risk, and it predicts continued expansion of what counts as covered technology.