The US should cooperate with Taiwan to bolster defenses against cyberattacks amid a growing threat from China, the Washington-based Center for a New American Security (CNAS) think tank said in a report published on June 24.
China has significantly ramped up its cyberoffensives in the past few years, a trend being exacerbated by the rapid development of artificial intelligence, which could “further tilt the balance toward offense in cyberspace in unpredictable and potentially dangerous ways,” said the report, titled: “Cyber Crossroads in the Indo-Pacific: Navigating Digital Potential and Cyber Peril.”
In response to the growing threats, US authorities should launch a “Cyber Shield” initiative in the Indo-Pacific region to boost joint efforts against malicious cyberactors and expand cooperation with Taiwan, it said.
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One path forward from the crossroads is stronger military, intelligence and economic ties between the US and allies, while the other path is compromised infrastructure and data security as countries such as China, North Korea and Russia present greater cybersecurity threats, said the report, which was written by CNAS senior fellow Vivek Chilukuri and others.
The threats have included espionage, intellectual property theft, data breaches, disinformation campaigns, influence operations and prepositioning within critical infrastructure, the report said.
The National Security Bureau in April said that Chinese cyberforces were continuously targeted Taiwanese government agencies, critical infrastructure and the tech industry through cyberintrusions and data theft.
Since last year, there have been more than 2.19 million intrusion attempts on average per day targeting Taiwan’s government service Web sites, with the attacks mostly coming from China, the bureau said.
China also engages in cybercrime aimed at disrupting social stability and public order in Taiwan, it said.
Examples of cybercrime include hacking, phishing, ransomware, malware, identity theft and cyberstalking, it said.
To address the increasingly severe cyberthreats, the report suggested the joint establishment of the “Cyber Shield” initiative; a significant expansion of military cyberengagement and capability building; clarification of legal and policy frameworks to support broader action in the region; implementation of integrated strategies to promote secure and resilient information and communications technology infrastructure in the region; and deepened cooperation between Taiwan and the US on military cyberdefense.
The report recommended that countries in the region mandate cybersecurity best practices at government agencies, such as multi-factor authentication and a ban on the use of personal devices for official duties.
It also recommended an increase in defense spending to boost cybersecurity, and the adoption of advanced artificial intelligence and cloud-based defense systems.
Domestic and international tech companies could collaborate on the development of such systems, it said.
The CNAS was founded in 2007 by former US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell and former US undersecretary of defense Michele Flournoy.
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