Taiwanese defense companies should seek certification from the US government cybersecurity program, a defense expert said on Friday.
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program uses advanced standards on safeguarding sensitive information, Institute for National Defense and Security Research analyst Tzeng Yi-suo (曾怡碩) said, adding that it also allows third-party assessment of defense contractors that handle controlled unclassified information.
In an article published on Friday, Tzeng said certification by the program would be required in all contracts awarded by the US Department of Defense from fiscal 2026, as the US faces frequent cyberattacks by government-sponsored Chinese, Russian and Iranian entities.
Photo: Reuters
Taiwanese defense contractors working with the US military, as well as those who are planning to do so, would have to obtain certification, Tzeng said.
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and other strategic partners of the US have urged their defense companies to seek certification since the program was launched in 2020, he said.
It is urgent that Taiwanese firms join the program, as the administration of US President Joe Biden is considering the joint production of weapons with Taiwan, as the two countries seek to deter China more effectively, Tzeng said.
Taipei and Washington are in initial discussions on whether US defense firms should provide weapons technology to manufacturers in Taiwan or produce arms in the US using Taiwan-made parts, the Nikkei Asia reported last month.
The two sides have been tight-lipped about joint production plans, but the plans have been confirmed by Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the US-Taiwan Business Council, which includes many US defense contractors.
A Reuters report cited Hammond-Chambers as saying that while it was yet to be determined which weapons would be part of the plan, the initiative would likely focus on providing Taiwan with more munitions and long-established missile technology.
Tzeng said the Ministry of National Defense should also encourage the country’s defense contractors to comply with the standards set by the US program in bids for defense contracts with the Taiwanese military.
The Pentagon says that the program is aimed at increasing its oversight of professional and ethical standards in the assessment ecosystem for defense contracts and supporting businesses in adopting the practices they need to thwart cyberthreats, among other goals.
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