The United States has announced sanctions against the Chengdu-based cybersecurity company Sichuan Silence Information Technology Company, Limited, and one of its employees, Guan Tianfeng. These actions are in response to their involvement in compromising tens of thousands of firewalls globally, including those at U.S. critical infrastructure companies. Alongside these sanctions, the U.S. Department of State has offered a reward of up to $10 million for information regarding Sichuan Silence or Guan.
Guan is accused of deploying malware to U.S. critical infrastructure companies in April 2020, which posed a risk to American lives. He also allegedly attempted to infect systems with ransomware.
A spokesperson stated, "Today’s multi-agency effort reflects our whole-of-government approach to protecting and defending against PRC cyber threats to Americans and our critical systems." The statement emphasized that the United States will continue using all available tools to protect its critical infrastructure and citizens from cyber threats.
The Department of the Treasury's sanctions were executed under Executive Order 13694, as amended. Further details can be found in the Treasury's press release.
