Texas is suing TP-Link for espionage on behalf of China

The US state of Texas has filed a lawsuit against network equipment manufacturer TP-Link for alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

According to Attorney General Ken Paxton, TP-Link has been “deceptively marketing” its networking devices to allow Beijing to access American consumers’ devices.

Although the company claims to protect consumers’ privacy and security, its products have been used by China to launch cyberattacks against the United States, Attorney General Paxton says Furthermore, the company’s ownership and supply chain are firmly linked to China. Through these ties, TP-Link is subject to Beijing’s national data laws, which require Chinese companies to support China’s intelligence services by handing over Americans’ data.

The lawsuit against TP-Link is the first in a series of lawsuits against China-based tech companies to protect Texans' interests.“

This week, my office is launching a coordinated series of actions against CCP-aligned companies to send a clear message that in the Lone Star State we will always put Texas and America First. TP-Link will face the full force of the law for putting Americans’ security at risk. Let this serve as a clear warning to any Chinese entity seeking to compromise our nation’s security,” Attorney General Paxton says in a press release.

According to the lawsuit, TP-Link has deliberately created a “web of deception” to mask its Chinese connections, exposing millions of American consumers to severe cybersecurity risks, including leaving firmware vulnerabilities unpatched for exploitation by Chinese hacking groups.“

TP-Link’s devices are modern weapons of war, enabling a foreign adversary to surveil and attack the United States. The State of Texas brings this suit to end this deceptive scheme, protect Texans’ privacy, and hold TP-Link accountable for trading safety and security for market dominance,” Paxton states in the lawsuit.

A TP-Link spokesperson told Reuters the company would “vigorously defend” its reputation in court, adding that the Chinese government has no ownership or control over the company, its products, or user data.He also said that the Texas Attorney General’s claims are “without merit and will be proven false,” noting that all its core operations and infrastructure are located within the US.