CHINA WATCHChina-Based Hacker Conspired to Develop and Deploy Malware That Exploited Tens of Thousands of Firewalls Worldwide

A federal court in Hammond, Indiana, unsealed an indictment last week charging Guan Tianfeng, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for his involvement in a conspiracy to hack indiscriminately into firewall devices worldwide in 2020. Guan and his co-conspirators worked at the offices of Sichuan Silence Information Technology Co. Ltd. to discover and exploit a previously-unknown vulnerability (an “0-day” vulnerability) in certain firewalls sold by U.K.-based Sophos Ltd. (Sophos) – an information technology company that develops and markets cybersecurity products. The malware that exploited the vulnerability discovered by Guan was designed to steal information from infected computers and to encrypt files on them if a victim attempted to remediate the infection. In total, Guan and his co-conspirators infected approximately 81,000 firewall devices worldwide, including a firewall device used by an agency of the United States.

“The defendant and his co-conspirators exploited a vulnerability in tens of thousands of network security devices, infecting them with malware designed to steal information from victims around the world,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today’s indictment reflects the Justice Department’s commitment to working with partners across government and across the globe to detect and hold accountable malicious cyber actors based in China or elsewhere who pose a threat to global cybersecurity.”

“The defendant and his conspirators compromised tens of thousands of firewalls and then continued to hold at risk these devices, which protect computers in the United States and around the world,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. “The Department of Justice will hold accountable those who contribute to the dangerous ecosystem of China-based enabling companies that carry out indiscriminate hacks on behalf of their sponsors and undermine global cybersecurity.”

“Our law enforcement actions, technical expertise, and enduring partnerships with private companies, like Sophos, demonstrate the reputation of the FBI as being a reliable and effective partner for stopping this malicious activity,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Complementary actions prevented further victimization of U.S. businesses and individuals while contributing to the safety of U.S. citizens as they use the internet.”