Four US states accuse TP-Link of misleading customers over security and China ties
Four US states have sued TP-Link, the dominant router manufacturer, alleging the company misled customers about product security and concealed its reliance on China. The lawsuit raises concerns about millions of American homes, given TP-Link's substantial market presence—it held approximately 36.6 percent of the US router market by unit sales in 2024.
The complaint claims that despite asserting it had relocated manufacturing to Vietnam, only 0.5 percent of components at TP-Link's Vietnamese facility are sourced domestically, with the remainder imported from or through China. The states' attorneys general further contend that TP-Link's security promises, including HomeShield's claim of "100 percent safeguard," are misleading given documented vulnerabilities that were exploited in Chinese and Russian state-backed hacking campaigns. TP-Link rejected the allegations, stating the lawsuits rest on false premises and asserting it is not owned or controlled by any foreign government.
- TP-Link sued by four US states over misleading security claims and concealed China ties
- Company promised "100% security safeguard" but had critical vulnerabilities exploited by state-backed hackers
- Only 0.5% of Vietnamese plant components sourced locally, rest imported from China
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TP-Link manufactures routers, the devices that connect homes to the internet and manage network access. The company holds roughly one-third of the American router market, meaning its practices affect millions of households.
The lawsuit centres on two main concerns: whether TP-Link actually manufactures its routers where it claims, and whether its advertised security features work as promised. When companies are unclear about these things, customers cannot make fully informed decisions about which products to buy.
Routers matter for security because compromised devices can potentially allow hackers to access personal data and other systems connected to a home network. This is why accuracy in manufacturers' claims about both their supply chains and protective features is important to consumers.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The states argue that TP-Link's prominent security claims, including HomeShield's '100 percent safeguard,' are demonstrably false given documented vulnerabilities exploited by state-backed actors. Similarly, TP-Link's positioning of Vietnam manufacturing whilst sourcing 99.5 per cent of components from China represents material deception that misleads consumers about the product's security and origins.
The case against
TP-Link contends that security is an ongoing process rather than a guaranteed state, and vulnerabilities in complex technology do not invalidate genuine protective features. The company maintains that Vietnam represents its genuine manufacturing location—a real operational shift—whilst noting that global component sourcing across multiple countries is standard practice, and that security claims describe risk reduction rather than absolute immunity.
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Originally published by The Register as “US states sue popular kitmaker TP-Link over China risks”.