### Broadening the Covered List The Covered List, established under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, identifies communications equipment and services deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security. Previously, the list targeted specific companies and products, including **Kaspersky**, **Huawei**, **ZTE**, **Hikvision**, and **Dahua**. The recent expansion now encompasses all routers manufactured outside of the United States. This move follows a National Security Determination issued by an Executive Branch interagency body on March 20th, citing concerns that foreign-produced routers present a supply chain vulnerability. The agency believes these devices could be exploited to disrupt the U.S. economy, critical infrastructure, and national defense, potentially causing direct harm to U.S. citizens. The **FCC** highlighted that foreign-made routers were implicated in attacks carried out by groups like **Volt**, **Flax**, and **Salt Typhoon**, which targeted vital U.S. infrastructure. ### Exemptions and Approval Pathways Certain routers used by the U.S. Department of War (DoW) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for drone systems have received conditional approval, provided they do not pose a security risk. Furthermore, foreign manufacturers can still seek approval for their consumer-grade routers in the U.S., but they must transparently disclose the following: * Corporate and ownership structure, including details of any foreign government financial support or influence. * Manufacturing and supply chain information, including a bill of materials, country of origin for all components, IP ownership details, manufacturing and assembly locations, and the origin of software/firmware. * A plan to relocate critical component manufacturing to the United States, accompanied by a description of any existing U.S.-based manufacturing or assembly processes. ### Potential Impact on Consumers The immediate impact on U.S. consumers is expected to be minimal, as existing routers will continue to be sold. Software and firmware updates for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) will be permitted until at least January 1, 2027. However, access to new router models may become more challenging and potentially more expensive due to the added complexities and costs associated with regulatory approval. The testing, approvals, and **FCC** certification process can take several months, potentially delaying market entry for new devices. Some manufacturers may opt to avoid the alternative certification pathway, particularly due to the onshoring requirement, which could lead to reduced model availability in the U.S. market. <div> <a rel="noopener sponsored" href="https://hubs.li/Q043YRMg0"><img alt="tines" src="https://www.bleepstatic.com/c/p/red-report.jpg"></a> <div> <h2><a rel="noopener sponsored" href="https://hubs.li/Q043YRMg0">Red Report 2026: Why Ransomware Encryption Dropped 38%</a></h2> <p>Malware is getting smarter. The Red Report 2026 reveals how new threats use math to detect sandboxes and hide in plain sight.</p> <p>Download our analysis of 1.1 million malicious samples to uncover the top 10 techniques and see if your security stack is blinded.</p> </div> </div>