The United States has moved to ban new consumer internet routers manufactured outside the country, with regulators citing mounting national security and cybersecurity risks tied to foreign-made networking equipment.

In a decision that significantly expands earlier restrictions on overseas technology, with foreign-made drones previously being in the crosshairs, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has added all foreign-made consumer-grade routers to its Covered List – a register of equipment deemed secure enough for use in the US.

Under the new rules, existing devices will not be affected, meaning consumers and businesses can continue using routers they already own – which is probably a relief, considering that pretty much every American company in the game still has their devices manufactured overseas.

Products that have previously received FCC radio authorisation can also still be imported. However, the decision effectively blocks the vast majority of new routers from entering the US market.

Manufacturers must now either secure a “conditional approval” allowing continued access to the US market while committing to domestic production, or opt out of selling future products in the country altogether.

The regulator said the move was necessary due to “an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States and to the safety and security of U.S. persons.”

In a National Security Determination accompanying the decision, the FCC argued that “Allowing routers produced abroad to dominate the U.S. market creates unacceptable economic, national security, and cybersecurity risks,” and added that “routers produced abroad were directly implicated in the Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon cyber-attacks which targeted critical American communications, energy, transportation, and water infrastructure.

“Given the criticality of routers to the successful functioning of our nation’s economy and defense, the United States can no longer depend on foreign nations for router manufacturing.”

Routers are a foundational component of digital infrastructure, used widely in homes and businesses to connect computers, phones, televisions and other devices to the internet. Concerns over their security have grown in recent years, with vulnerabilities making them a frequent target for hackers and botnets.

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The FCC said: “Malicious actors have exploited security gaps in foreign-made routers to attack American households, disrupt networks, enable espionage, and facilitate intellectual property theft.”

However, questions remain over whether domestic manufacturing alone would mitigate such risks. In the Volt Typhoon attack, Chinese state-sponsored hackers primarily targeted routers made by US companies, including Cisco and Netgear, according to the Department of Justice. These devices were vulnerable due to a lack of ongoing security updates after being discontinued.

The scope of the ban is also more specific than it may initially appear. The FCC has defined the restriction as applying to “consumer-grade routers” – devices intended for residential use and capable of being installed by customers – rather than all networking equipment.