The Federal Communications Commission has renewed its warning against the use of communications equipment and services on its Covered List that pose risks to U.S. national security.
Much of the gear on the list is linked to foreign adversaries and could be used by the Chinese Communist Party to surveil Americans or disrupt communications networks, FCC said Tuesday.
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The advisory urged individuals and organizations to review the list—which includes equipment from Chinese firms such as Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, Dahua and cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab—and to consider the risks of using, purchasing, or interconnecting with them.
The list also names U.S. subsidiaries of Chinese telecom providers, including China Mobile International USA, China Telecom Americas, Pacific Networks and China Unicom Americas, whose services remain subject to federal restrictions under the Communications Act.
Online Retailers Delist Unauthorized Devices
The latest FCC advisory follows the agency’s report Friday on “Operation Clean Carts,” an enforcement effort targeting the online sale of banned communications devices. Federal law prohibits marketing or selling Covered List equipment, but many e-commerce platforms had allowed such products to remain available, the agency pointed out.
After coordinating with major online retailers, the FCC said millions of listings for unauthorized devices—including Huawei smartwatches and Dahua home security cameras—have now been removed. According to the agency, the e-commerce companies involved have agreed to adopt stronger screening measures, educate third-party sellers and continue working with the FCC to prevent future violations.
