The U.S. Congress is tackling a new technological challenge that affects national security: securing routers, modems, and IoT devices through the ROUTERS Act. This law proposes a nationwide study on the security of these devices and networks, aiming to complete it within a year, raising doubts about its feasibility.

The law, introduced by Representative Robert E. Latta, received bipartisan support. Its goal is to assess the risks posed by devices designed or manufactured in countries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. However, with hundreds of millions of devices involved, tracking foreign components and manufacturers will be a complex task.

Experts consulted by Techopedia have mixed opinions on the project’s feasibility. John Terrill, from Phosphorus, notes that the large number and diversity of devices make this a difficult endeavor. Meanwhile, Tom Marsland, from Cloud Range, argues that the one-year timeframe is insufficient.

The urgency of the ROUTERS Act stems from the increase in cyberattacks by nations such as China and Russia, with recent incidents like the attack on 600,000 American routers. Additionally, the growing risk of compromised hardware and firmware vulnerabilities heightens concerns about national network security.

While the law reflects the government’s concern over cybersecurity, some fear that its approach could lead to isolationist policies, similar to China’s “Great Firewall,” potentially impacting innovation and free markets.

Nestor Castillo, ForAllTechNews Director