Given the great challenges in information and communications security that Taiwan faces, the government is to invest more resources on improving related infrastructure and training security experts to strengthen national security, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday.
Tsai made the remarks at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei when meeting with HITCON and BFS — Taiwanese teams that placed third and 12th respectively at computer security convention DEF CON’s Capture the Flag competition last month.
It is a national honor that Taiwan had two teams in the global final, she said, thanking them for showcasing the nation’s exciting potential on a global stage.
Photo: CNA
Following a meeting with HITCON after the team won second place in last year’s event, Tsai yesterday said that she instructed National Security Council cybersecurity adviser Lee Der-tsai (李德財) to invest more resources into cultivating information security experts.
The Ministry of Education four years ago launched an information security summer program featuring HITCON members as instructors, she said.
The program, hosted by National Taiwan University of Science and Technology professor Wu Tsung-cheng (吳宗成), helped train members of BFS, she added.
The impressive performance of the two teams was a boost of confidence for the government’s efforts to cultivate talent in information security, Tsai said, adding that the government would continue to offer the nation’s teams the best support it can.
Taiwan faces great challenges in information and communications security, she said.
Information security is national security, and when key information and Internet infrastructure comes under attack, the nation’s security is threatened, she added.
“The traditional definition of security is changing. In fact, as we are speaking now, our key infrastructure and information security systems are under continuous threat and attacks from abroad,” Tsai said.
In light of the new situation, the council in September completed its first report on the nation’s strategy for information security, she said.
“We will invest more resources into building key infrastructure and training personnel to strengthen information security,” Tsai said.
“Only by attending to these two aspects at the same time can we keep up with the ever-changing challenges of information security and protect the nation,” she said.
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