The Ministry of Digital Affairs should do more to warn Taiwanese travelers of the cybersecurity risk posed by Wi-Fi routers made in China, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀) said yesterday.
Chinese routers commonly offered by rental agencies in the nation’s airports could potentially compromise the data security of connected devices, the ministry said at a recent meeting chaired by Lin.
This security risk remains even if the device is using a Taiwanese SIM card, Lin said.
Photo: REUTERS
Security researchers have for years alleged that many routers from Chinese brands contain built-in backdoors that make users vulnerable to hacking.
Although the Taiwan Association of Information and Communication Standards established security standards for routers in 2015, Lin said the government has no mandate to enforce compliance and relies on businesses to self-regulate.
The ministry should warn the public about the devices and encourage the utilization of domestically made routers that are safe, she said, adding that the information can be distributed in collaboration with the Tourism Bureau.
There are three router manufacturers in Taiwan, two of which offer their products for rent at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, she said.
Travelers can also buy international roaming plans from telecom service providers and use the hot spot function on their smartphones, or purchase prepaid SIMs instead of renting routers, she said.
Changmai Enterprise Co and Sparco Ling Technology Co are the owners of router rentals operating from Taoyuan airport, the ministry said.
Travelers can also rent from an Internet-based service that distributes devices via airport clerks, it said.
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