Japan Accuses China-Backed Hackers of Embedding Malicious Firmware in TP-Link Routers

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has revealed that a China state-backed hacking unit, STORM-0940, carried out a widespread cyber intrusion by embedding malicious firmware inside TP-Link routers across the country. According to Japanese security officials, more than 16,000 home and enterprise routers were secretly hijacked, enabling Beijing-linked operators to silently siphon data, reroute traffic, and build proxy networks for future espionage operations.

The incident marks one of Japan’s most intrusive foreign cyber breaches to date, prompting the Takaichi administration to issue a nationwide advisory on replacing vulnerable hardware and tightening telecom regulations.

How the Firmware Attack Worked

Investigators say STORM-0940 gained access through supply-chain vulnerabilities, allowing them to modify TP-Link firmware before it reached consumers. Once activated, the malicious code granted long-term, stealth access that allowed hackers to:

• Monitor internet traffic

• Redirect devices into botnets

• Conduct lateral attacks on connected networks

• Enable persistent backdoors resistant to factory resets

Cyber analysts warn that the attack was specifically engineered for state-level espionage, not financial crime.

Growing Concerns Over Chinese Tech Influence

The breach has reignited global concerns about the security risks posed by Chinese-made electronics, routers, smartphones, chips, and network devices. Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that Chinese state-backed cyber units are increasingly leveraging commercial hardware to infiltrate foreign networks—exploiting supply chains that Beijing can influence through domestic laws and corporate control.

Experts point to China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law, which compels companies to assist state security agencies, as the core structural threat. This legal framework allows Chinese authorities to demand cooperation from telecom, semiconductor, cloud-service, and hardware manufacturers—often without disclosure.

Why Countries Are Moving to Restrict Chinese Electronics

In recent years, the U.S., U.K., Australia, India, and several EU nations have introduced bans or restrictions on Chinese-origin telecom equipment. Japan’s latest revelation will intensify these efforts. Governments argue that reliance on such hardware creates several national-security risks:

1. Built-In Espionage Pathways
   Routers, chips, and processors can contain hidden or dormant code. Firmware-level breaches—like the STORM-0940 incident—enable full-spectrum surveillance over even encrypted traffic.

2. Supply-Chain Manipulation
   When devices are manufactured or final-tested inside China, state agencies can tamper with firmware without detection.

3. Long-Term Vulnerability
   Remote-update systems can be hijacked to push malicious patches months or years after deployment.

4. Critical Infrastructure Exposure
   Chinese-made chips and network hardware inside power grids, telecom towers, banks, and government systems create strategic weaknesses that adversaries can exploit.

Japan’s Response and Global Security Implications

Prime Minister Takaichi has ordered an emergency audit of foreign-manufactured network devices used in government offices, telecom sectors, and critical infrastructure. The cabinet is also considering new procurement policies favoring domestic and allied-nation technology.

Cybersecurity officials warn that the TP-Link infiltration is likely only one of many undiscovered operations, noting that China is expanding technical espionage through mass-produced consumer hardware.

The revelation strengthens calls for countries to reduce dependency on Chinese electronics, telecom equipment, and semiconductor components, arguing that national security cannot rely on technology vulnerable to foreign manipulation.