Cybersecurity firm VulnCheck just revealed that over 100,000 Chinese-made Zbtlink routers contain factory-installed backdoors capable of secretly hijacking network traffic. Named Darklantern and Speakingstone, these covert implants give remote operators unauthenticated root control over devices deployed worldwide. Jacob Baines, chief technology officer at VulnCheck, discovered the hidden code while analyzing firmware on a white-labeled router purchased right here in the United States. The compromised hardware, manufactured by Shenzhen Zhibotong Electronics, is rebranded and sold under dozens of common commercial labels across Amazon, Shopify, and Alibaba. One of the implants was caught silently harvesting credentials, executing remote commands, and redirecting web traffic. When Baines registered an unused server domain tied to the code, nearly 400 unique routers immediately checked in from across the globe. Zbtlink spokesperson Michael Xia claims these features are merely legitimate tools intended for authorized customer maintenance. However, security experts warn that shipping unencrypted, hardcoded surveillance capabilities into consumer hardware leaves every connected network completely vulnerable.