FCC walks back router update ban before it bricked America's network security

America's telco regulator has seen some sense over its ban on foreign-made routers, deciding that existing devices should continue receiving software and firmware updates after all.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has extended waivers covering certain foreign-made routers (and drones) already operating in the US, pushing the update deadline to at least January 1, 2029. Without the extension, updates would have been blocked as early as 2027.

Back in March, the FCC updated its Covered List to include all foreign-made consumer routers, prohibiting the approval of any new models. This effectively banned any new kit made in other countries from being sold, but did not prevent the import, sale, or use of existing models that had previously been authorized.

The policy stems from fears that foreign-made router pose a security threat. Because they handle network traffic, they could introduce vulnerabilities exploitable against critical infrastructure, and in the words of ...