Chinese Firms Linked to Silk Typhoon Filed 15+ Patents for Cyber Espionage Tools

Jul 30, 2025Ravie LakshmananEndpoint Security / Cyber Espionage

Chinese companies associated with the state-sponsored hacking group Silk Typhoon, also known as Hafnium, have been revealed to be behind a series of technology patents, unveiling insights into the secretive cyber contracting industry and its offensive capabilities.

The patents include tools for forensics and intrusion that enable encrypted endpoint data collection, Apple device forensics, and remote access to routers and smart home devices, as reported by SentinelOne.

According to Dakota Cary, a China-focused strategic advisor for SentinelLabs, “This new information about the abilities of Hafnium-affiliated companies highlights a significant gap in threat actor attribution, where campaigns and activities are typically linked to a known actor.”

Further investigations into the connections between individuals and their companies have revealed patents filed by Shanghai Firetech and Shanghai Siling Commerce Consulting Center, indicating their involvement in collecting evidence from Apple devices, routers, and defensive equipment.

Shanghai Firetech is also said to be developing solutions for close access operations against specific individuals of interest.

Cary added, “The range of tools controlled by Shanghai Firetech surpasses those publicly attributed to Hafnium and Silk Typhoon. These capabilities may have been transferred to other regional MSS offices, thus not directly linked to Hafnium, despite being under the same corporate umbrella.”