# Four States Sue TP-Link Over Router Security

On October 6, 2026, attorneys general in Florida, Iowa, Montana, and Nebraska filed state consumer-protection lawsuits against TP-Link Systems Inc., alleging that the router manufacturer misrepresented product security and its business ties to China, including vulnerabilities allegedly exploited in cyberattacks. TP-Link disputes the allegations. The cases are not contract awards or solicitations, but they add legal and supply-chain scrutiny for public buyers of networking equipment. The signals also cite the FCC’s restrictions on new foreign-made routers and the Department of Defense’s designation of TP-Link Technologies as a Chinese military company.

- Public procurement teams should review TP-Link equipment inventories, firmware and end-of-support status, and supplier disclosures before purchasing or renewing networking equipment contracts.
- The FCC’s restrictions and exemption process may affect sourcing decisions for new routers; the cited process includes national-security review and U.S.-manufacturing-plan requirements.
- Contractors supplying networking equipment should be prepared to substantiate product security, firmware support, and supply-chain provenance. The signals identify no specific solicitation or contract opportunity.
- The lawsuits remain allegations, not findings; buyers should distinguish the claims from established facts when conducting due diligence.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Information Technology, Defense & Military
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 08, 2026

### Government Entities
- Attorneys General of Florida, Iowa, Montana, and Nebraska
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

### Vendors
- TP-Link Systems Inc. (Router manufacturer and defendant in the state lawsuits)
- TP-Link Technologies (Entity designated by the DoD as a Chinese military company)

### Key Quotes
> TP-Link told consumers those routers were secure, and that the company had split from China and built U.S. products in Vietnam. Those claims are not true.
> — James Uthmeier, Florida Attorney General

> Some of these older routers can be easily exploited by other foreign intelligence agencies.
> — Mike Hilgers, Nebraska Attorney General

### Sources
- [Router Giant Rolled Out The Welcome Mat For Chinese, Russian Hackers, States Claim - AOL](https://www.aol.ca/articles/router-giant-rolled-welcome-mat-162544000.html) - AOL.ca
- [Four States Sue TP-Link Alleging Hidden China Ties and Router Security Failures - USA Herald](https://usaherald.com/four-states-sue-tp-link-alleging-hidden-china-ties-and-router-security-failures) - USA Herald
- [Florida, Montana, Iowa and Nebraska sue TP-Link over alleged deceptive practices and router security risks | Digital Watch Observatory](https://dig.watch/updates/us-states-sue-tp-link-over-security-risks) - Digital Watch Observatory