Mon, Jan 06, 2025 page1

• Chinese cyberattacks doubled last year

  INCREASING THREAT: Beijing continues to escalate its cyberattacks targeting Taiwan, employing diverse hacking techniques, the National Security Bureau said

  • By Aaron Tu and Sam Garcia / Staff reporter, with staff writer
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  Taiwan faced twice as many cyberattacks per day last year compared with the previous year, with the majority attributed to Chinese cyberforces, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said in its latest report.

  The government service network registered a daily average of 2.4 million cyberattacks last year, compared with 1.2 million in 2023, according to the report titled “Analysis on China’s Cyberattack Techniques in 2024.”

  While most of these attacks were effectively intercepted, the overall situation highlights the increasing severity of cyberattacks, it said.

  

  A person types on a laptop with binary numbers displayed in front of the Chinese flag on Aug. 19, 2022.

  Photo: Reuters

  In the face of the continuous attacks, data theft and disruptions by Chinese cyberforces, the report helps the public understand trends and threats in cybersecurity, it said.

  There were 906 cases of cyberattacks targeting the government and private sector last year, an increase of 20 percent from 2023, the agency said.

  Government agencies accounted for 80 percent of these cases, it added.

  

  A chart shows a comparison of cyberthreat figures in 2023 and last year.

  Photo courtesy of the National Security Bureau

  There was a 650 percent increase in attacks targeting the communications sector, 70 percent increase in the transportation sector and 57 percent increase in the defense supply chain, the report said.

  These sectors have become the key focus for Chinese cyberoperations, which target vulnerabilities in government networks to steal information, the agency said.

  Chinese cyberforces last year employed eight primary strategies in targeting Taiwanese entities, it said.

  First, they targeted government agencies using “living off the land” techniques to avoid detection and social engineering attacks on public officials’ e-mail accounts, it said.

  Second, they used various methods to infiltrate and steal information from Taiwan’s defense supply chain and information service providers, it said.

  Third, they targeted critical infrastructure, such as highways and ports, aiming to disrupt the nation’s transportation systems, it said.

  Techniques used to accomplish this include advanced persistent threats, phishing e-mails, zero-day vulnerabilities, Trojan viruses and backdoor programs, it added.

  Fourth, they collaborated with civilian hacker organizations, employing ransomware and other cybercrime tactics to attack Taiwan’s manufacturing companies for economic benefit, it said.

  Fifth, they concealed traces of cyberattacks and stole Taiwanese citizens’ personal data to sell on the dark Web, the agency said.

  Simultaneously, they criticized Taiwan’s cybersecurity defenses on social media, undermining national credibility and morale, it added.

  Sixth, they combined military exercises with cyberattacks, launching distributed denial-of-service attacks against Taiwan’s transportation and financial institutions to intensify disruption, it said.

  Seventh, they targeted high-tech start-ups worldwide to steal patented technologies and gain a competitive advantage, it said.

  Lastly, they are building a global stealth cyberattack network, exploiting password vulnerabilities to take control of Taiwan’s Internet of Things devices and make them carry out cyberattacks, it said.

  China continues to escalate its cyberoffensives against Taiwan, employing diverse hacking techniques to conduct reconnaissance, plant traps, and steal data from government agencies, critical infrastructure and key private enterprises, it said.

  The government leverages a joint cybersecurity defense mechanism and uses multiple intelligence sources to promptly warn responsible departments of any threats, the agency said.

  The public should also prioritize cybersecurity measures and remain vigilant against Chinese cyberthreats, working together to safeguard the nation’s overall network security, it added.
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