Texas Files Landmark Lawsuit Against TP-Link Over Alleged Chinese Government Hacking
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated a significant legal action against networking equipment manufacturer TP-Link Systems, accusing the company of deliberately misleading consumers about the security and privacy of its products while allegedly enabling Chinese state-sponsored hacking operations. This lawsuit represents the first in a series of planned actions this week targeting companies with connections to the Chinese Communist Party.
Allegations of Deception and National Security Threats
In a strongly worded press release, Paxton's office declared that TP-Link's marketing practices constitute "not just illegal—it is also a national security threat" that facilitates secret surveillance and exploitation of Texas consumers. The lawsuit emphasizes that nearly all components of TP-Link products are imported from China, raising concerns about potential backdoor access for Chinese intelligence agencies.
The Attorney General specifically alleges that TP-Link markets its routers and networking devices as secure and privacy-protective while Chinese state-sponsored hacking groups have actively exploited vulnerabilities in these products to conduct cyberattacks against American targets. This discrepancy between marketing claims and actual security capabilities forms the core of the legal complaint.
Evidence and Expert Perspectives
Paxton's office cited a May 2023 report by cybersecurity firm Check Point Research that documented how Camaro Dragon, a known Chinese state-sponsored hacking entity, conducted campaigns exploiting vulnerabilities in TP-Link firmware. This report provides technical substantiation for the broader concerns about potential espionage capabilities built into consumer networking equipment.
Security consultant John Bambenek confirmed to Recorded Future News that the U.S. intelligence community has expressed similar apprehensions about TP-Link devices potentially facilitating Chinese government surveillance. However, Bambenek expressed skepticism about the lawsuit's practical impact, noting that "I am hard-pressed to see any scenario where any order by a Texas court would be respected in China."
Broader Regulatory Shift in Cybersecurity
Nakul Goenka, a risk officer at security company ColorTokens, framed the lawsuit as part of an important evolution in how cybersecurity is regulated and enforced. "Security representations are increasingly being evaluated as consumer protection and disclosure issues, not merely technical ones," Goenka observed.
This regulatory shift is already visible in Federal Trade Commission enforcement actions and Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure mandates, and now appears to be extending into state-level litigation. According to Goenka, the central legal question has become whether companies' public statements about privacy, security, and product origin accurately reflect the underlying risks, rather than merely whether technical vulnerabilities exist.
TP-Link's Response and Previous Legal Actions
A TP-Link spokesperson vigorously denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit "without merit and will be proven false." The company emphasized its status as an independent American company with core operations and infrastructure located entirely within the United States. According to their statement, all U.S. users' networking data is stored on Amazon Web Services servers, and the company's founder and CEO resides in California.
"We will continue to vigorously defend our reputation as a trusted provider of secure connectivity for American families," the spokesperson affirmed.
This lawsuit follows similar legal action taken by Paxton in December 2025 against Chinese television manufacturers Hisense and TCL, alleging that their devices capture real-time viewing data that could be harvested by Chinese authorities. These consecutive lawsuits suggest a coordinated strategy to address perceived national security threats through consumer protection litigation.
