China's Zbtlink suspends router sales over backdoor vulnerability

According to VulnCheck CTO Jacob Baines, the backdoor could allow unauthorized access and control of the device, potentially extending to other devices on the same network. Zbtlink stated that the backdoor was intended solely as an after-sales technical support tool, designed to assist customers with troubleshooting and configuration only upon explicit request and authorization, and has never been used for unauthorized access.

Revelations of the backdoor come amid heightened Western concerns regarding cybersecurity and the risks associated with Chinese-made networking equipment. The Canadian government issued a security advisory on Wednesday concerning the vulnerability. Baines noted that the backdoor automatically connected to a specific IP address and a Chinese-registered domain every 35 seconds, and that routers globally remain vulnerable to hostile takeover. He advised users to remove affected routers from their networks and monitor for compromise.