Official announcements from the U.S. Department of Justice or related government agencies

U.S. Sanctions Chinese Cybersecurity Firm, Offers $10M Reward Over Global Firewall Compromise

Dec 11, 2024, 04:20 PM

The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on a Chinese cybersecurity company and one of its employees, Guan Tianfeng, for allegedly compromising 81,000 firewalls globally, including those protecting 36 items of U.S. critical infrastructure. The U.S. government has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to the identification or location of the individuals involved. In response, China's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the U.S. actions, accusing the U.S. of attempting to suppress Chinese high-tech companies under the guise of human rights concerns. Additionally, China has announced visa restrictions on U.S. personnel over what it describes as interference in Hong Kong affairs. Canada has also imposed sanctions on Chinese personnel for alleged human rights violations, prompting a sharp rebuke from Beijing, which criticized Canada's actions as interference in China's internal affairs. The U.S. sanctions and the subsequent reactions from China highlight the escalating tensions between the two nations over cybersecurity, human rights, and economic development. The U.S. actions are in response to what has been described as the worst telecom hack in the nation's history, involving a sweeping Ragnarok ransomware attack.