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.
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.
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.
FIREPOWER: On top of the torpedoes, the military would procure Kestrel II anti-tank weapons systems to replace aging license-produced M72 LAW launchers Taiwan is to receive US-made Mark 48 torpedoes and training simulators over the next three years, following delays that hampered the navy’s operational readiness, the Ministry of National Defense’s latest budget proposal showed. The navy next year would acquire four training simulator systems for the torpedoes and take receipt of 14 torpedoes in 2027 and 10 torpedoes in 2028, the ministry said in its budget for the next fiscal year. The torpedoes would almost certainly be utilized in the navy’s two upgraded Chien Lung-class submarines and the indigenously developed Hai Kun, should the attack sub successfully reach operational status. US President Donald Trump
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is expected to start construction of its 1.4-nanometer chip manufacturing facilities at the Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP, 中部科學園區) as early as October, the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) reported yesterday, citing the park administration. TSMC acquired land for the second phase of the park’s expansion in Taichung in June. Large cement, construction and facility engineering companies in central Taiwan have reportedly been receiving bids for TSMC-related projects, the report said. Supply-chain firms estimated that the business opportunities for engineering, equipment and materials supply, and back-end packaging and testing could reach as high as
ALL QUIET: The Philippine foreign secretary told senators she would not respond to questions about whether Lin Chia-lung was in the country The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday confirmed that a business delegation is visiting the Philippines, but declined to say whether Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) is part of the group, as Philippine lawmakers raised questions over Lin’s reported visit. The group is being led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Huang Chao-chin (黃昭欽), Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA) chairman Joseph Lyu (呂桔誠) and US-Taiwan Business Council (USTBC) vice president Lotta Danielsson, the ministry said in a statement. However, sources speaking on condition of anonymity said that Lin is leading the delegation of 70 people. Filinvest New Clark City Innovation Park
DEFENSIVE EDGE: The liaison officer would work with Taiwan on drones and military applications for other civilian-developed technologies, a source said A Pentagon unit tasked with facilitating the US military’s adoption of new technology is soon to deploy officials to dozens of friendly nations, including Taiwan, the Financial Times reported yesterday. The US Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is to send a representative to collaborate with Taiwan on drones and military applications from the semiconductor industry by the end of the year, the British daily reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “Drones will certainly be a focus, but they will also be looking at connecting to the broader civilian and dual-use ecosystem, including the tech sector,” one source was
RSS