Firewall Fiasco: Chinese Hacker Charged in Sophos Breach Comedy
A Chinese national has been charged for hacking thousands of Sophos firewall devices worldwide in 2020. Guan Tianfeng, also known as gbigmao, exploited a zero-day vulnerability to compromise approximately 81,000 firewalls, deploying malware to steal data and encrypt files. This cyber misadventure caused a global security headache and a few firewalls to question their life choices.
Hot Take:
If life gives you firewalls, don’t let China take them! Guan Tianfeng, the ultimate firewall whisperer, has been caught in the act of hacking Sophos firewalls. Now he’s facing charges, and it’s safe to say his firewall fondling days are over. Remember folks, if you’re going to be a cyber baddie, don’t leave your firewall exposed! Or at least, don’t get caught doing it!
Key Points:
- Chinese national Guan Tianfeng charged for hacking Sophos firewalls worldwide in 2020.
- Exploited a zero-day vulnerability, CVE-2020-12271, affecting 81,000 devices.
- Malware used to steal data and encrypt files to hinder remediation.
- Sophos released emergency patches and ongoing monitoring revealed further attacks.
- U.S. Treasury sanctioned Sichuan Silence Information Technology Co.