China’s Beidou Satellite System (北斗衛星) poses an information security risk to Taiwan in that the satellite is able to track smartphone users via embedded malware in devices with Chinese-manufactured chips directly tied into the system or phones manufactured in China, according to the latest mobile device security report that the Ministry of Science and Technology submitted to the Legislative Yuan.
The ministry reported that China’s satellite system, despite claims of being commercial in nature, was primarily for military use, adding that over the past few years, many smartphone vehicle navigation products using Beidou Satellite System guidance chips have been imported to Taiwan.
“[Government employees] should avoid purchasing related products to avoid being the target of attacks,” the report said.
Screengrab from the Internet
China’s Shanghai Beiga Satellite Technology Co Co (上海北伽導航科技) developed the first 40-nanometer satellite navigation chip in 2014 for use in tablets, smartphones and vehicle navigation systems specifically with the satellite system in mind.
The satellite system claimed to be primarily developed for vehicle navigation, but the second generation of the system reportedly offers two separate services, one aimed at the public sector being the navigation system, and a restricted offering for China’s and Pakistan’s military communication and location data.
The ministry said that Taiwanese using Chinese-manufactured phones, or other smartphones using related software or chips, might be providing the Chinese military with information.
The ministry said it would be asking all distributors in Taiwan to identify their products that support the Beidou Satellite System, adding that it was mulling a ban on smartphones or other devices that are capable of being linked to the Beidou Satellite system.
A full list of applications using or related to the satellite system is being compiled and is to be run through a testing system, the ministry said, adding that it would announce the list of programs that might contain malware.
The ministry is also calling on civil servants to avoid purchasing or using products that carry guidance chips for the satellite system or related software to minimize the chance of targeted attacks.
The ministry also suggested that national defense units should monitor the Beidou Satellite System’s transmitted signals and warn of any anomalies, adding that such monitoring would reduce the risk of hacking attacks from China via satellite-broadcast signals.
The National Security Bureau said it was aware of the issue and had already told the National Communication Council and the Ministry of Economic Affairs to develop countermeasures.
The issue was discussed at the legislature yesterday, and while a complete list of mobile devices that support the Beidou Satellite System has yet to be released, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) said that several models of cellphones produced by Taiwan-based HTC Corp (宏達電) use the Beidou Satellite System.
Beijing’s continued provocations in the Taiwan Strait reveal its intention to unilaterally change the “status quo” in the area, the US Department of State said on Saturday, calling for a peaceful resolution to cross-strait issues. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) reported that four China Coast Guard patrol vessels entered restricted and prohibited waters near Kinmen County on Friday and again on Saturday. A State Department spokesperson said that Washington was aware of the incidents, and urged all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from unilaterally changing the “status quo.” “Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is in line with our [the
EXTENDED RANGE: Hsiung Sheng missiles, 100 of which might be deployed by the end of the year, could reach Chinese command posts and airport runways, a source said A NT$16.9 billion (US$534.93 million) project to upgrade the military’s missile defense systems would be completed this year, allowing the deployment of at least 100 long-range Hsiung Sheng missiles and providing more deterrence against China, military sources said on Saturday. Hsiung Sheng missiles are an extended-range version of the Hsiung Feng IIE (HF-2E) surface-to-surface cruise missile, and are believed to have a range of up to 1,200km, which would allow them to hit targets well inside China. They went into mass production in 2022, the sources said. The project is part of a special budget for the Ministry of National Defense aimed at
READY TO WORK: Taiwan is eager to cooperate and is hopeful that like-minded states will continue to advocate for its inclusion in regional organizations, Lai said Maintaining the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region must be a top priority, president-elect William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after meeting with a delegation of US academics. Leaders of the G7, US President Joe Biden and other international heads of state have voiced concerns about the situation in the Strait, as stability in the region is necessary for a safe, peaceful and prosperous world, Lai said. The vice president, who is to be inaugurated in May, welcomed the delegation and thanked them for their support for Taiwan and issues concerning the Strait. The international community
COOPERATION: Two crewmembers from a Chinese fishing boat that sank off Kinmen were rescued, two were found dead and another two were still missing at press time The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) was yesterday working with Chinese rescuers to find two missing crewmembers from a Chinese fishing boat that sank southwest of Kinmen County yesterday, killing two crew. The joint operation managed to rescue two of the boat’s six crewmembers, but two were already dead when they were pulled from the water, the agency said in a statement. Rescuers are still searching for two others from the Min Long Yu 61222, a boat registered in China’s Fujian Province that capsized and sank 1.03 nautical miles (1.9km) southwest of Dongding Island (東碇), it added. CGA Director-General Chou Mei-wu (周美伍) told a