Grade F · High Risk

Is Cisco Router Safe?

Cisco is a US company (NYSE: CSCO), but its SMB routers are manufactured in China and carry a significant CVE history. F grade. Full security analysis here.

Security Verdict

Cisco Systems, Inc. is a US-headquartered company (San Jose, CA) listed on NYSE. There is no Chinese ownership risk or FCC ban concern with Cisco. However, Cisco's consumer and SMB router lines - including the RV-series - are manufactured in China and carry an extensive CVE history. Cisco's SMB routers have been repeatedly targeted by state-sponsored threat actors, including CISA advisories specifically naming Cisco devices as high-value targets. The manufacturing origin in China does not create the same legal obligation as Chinese-owned brands, but it does introduce supply chain risk. Cisco's enterprise networking gear (Catalyst, ASA) is a separate product line with far stronger security practices than the consumer/SMB router range.

Bottom line: Safe from a national security ownership perspective. The SMB router line has a significant CVE history - patch firmware promptly and consider end-of-life status for older RV-series models.

Corporate Ownership Structure

Cisco Systems, Inc. is a publicly traded US company incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in San Jose, California (NASDAQ: CSCO). Cisco is majority-owned by institutional investors including Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street - standard US public company ownership structure. The consumer and SMB router division (RV-series) operates as a separate product line from Cisco's enterprise networking business. RV-series hardware is manufactured in China under Cisco's supply chain management. Cisco is not subject to China's National Intelligence Law as a US-owned company, but the China manufacturing origin of its consumer and SMB hardware creates supply chain considerations that are absent in US- or Taiwan-manufactured products.

Cisco Models - Security Grades

All Cisco models in our database. Click a model for its full security report.

Model	Grade	FCC Status	Security Support	Made In
RV340	F	FCC authorized - foreign manufacture rule applies	Active	China
RV160	F	FCC authorized - foreign manufacture rule applies	Active	China

Key Risk Factors

China manufacturing introduces supply chain risk

RV-series SMB routers are manufactured in China. While Cisco is US-owned (no PRC law obligation), China-based manufacturing introduces hardware supply chain considerations.

Significant CVE history in SMB line

Cisco's RV-series routers have accumulated numerous critical and high-severity CVEs, including remote code execution vulnerabilities that required urgent CISA advisories.

Named in state-sponsored attack advisories

CISA and NSA advisories have specifically named Cisco SMB devices as high-value targets for state-sponsored threat actors seeking network footholds.

US company - no ban risk

Cisco Systems is a US-headquartered, NYSE-listed company. It has no Chinese government ownership and is not subject to China's National Intelligence Law.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cisco a safe router brand?

Cisco is a US company with no ban risk or Chinese ownership concern. However, its SMB router line (RV-series) has a significant CVE history and is manufactured in China. For most home and small business users, Cisco's SMB routers offer adequate but not exceptional security - keep firmware updated and check end-of-life status for your specific model.

Is Cisco RV340 safe?

The Cisco RV340 is a small business VPN router manufactured in China. It is FCC authorized and not subject to any ban. It has had documented security vulnerabilities in its firmware. Cisco issues patches, but the RV-series has historically had a high CVE rate. Keep firmware current and disable remote management if not needed.

Is Cisco router manufactured in China?

Yes. Cisco's consumer and SMB router lines, including the RV-series, are manufactured in China. Cisco is a US-owned company (NYSE: CSCO) and is not subject to China's National Intelligence Law - but the China manufacturing origin does introduce hardware supply chain considerations that are absent in US- or Taiwan-manufactured alternatives.

Cisco vs TP-Link: which is safer?

Cisco is significantly safer from a national security perspective - it is a US company with no Chinese government exposure. TP-Link is Chinese-owned, under federal investigation, and connected to the Volt Typhoon campaign. Both have China manufacturing, but Cisco's US ownership removes the Chinese state law obligation that makes TP-Link structurally risky.

Are Cisco routers end-of-life?

Several Cisco SMB router models have reached end of life. The RV-series has been largely discontinued in favor of enterprise-grade Cisco solutions. Check the Cisco end-of-life notices for your specific model. An end-of-life router that no longer receives security patches should be replaced.

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