Taiwan faced a significant increase in cyberattacks last year, with the government service network registering a daily average of 2.4 million attacks, double the 1.2 million seen in 2023, according to a report by the National Security Bureau (NSB). The majority of these attacks were attributed to Chinese cyberforces. The report, titled “Analysis on China’s Cyberattack Techniques in 2024,” highlighted the growing severity of the threat, despite most attacks being effectively intercepted.
The NSB noted a 650 percent increase in attacks targeting the communications sector, a 70 percent increase in the transportation sector, and a 57 percent increase in the defense supply chain. Chinese cyberforces employed various strategies, including targeting government agencies using “living off the land” techniques and social engineering attacks on public officials’ email accounts. They also infiltrated Taiwan’s defense supply chain and information service providers, aiming to steal sensitive information.
Critical infrastructure, such as highways and ports, were targeted with advanced persistent threats, phishing emails, zero-day vulnerabilities, Trojan viruses, and backdoor programs to disrupt the nation’s transportation systems.
Taiwan faces cyberthreat surge
Chinese hackers collaborated with civilian organizations, using ransomware and other cybercrime tactics to attack Taiwan’s manufacturing companies for economic benefit.
The report also revealed that Chinese cyberforces concealed traces of their attacks and stole Taiwanese citizens’ personal data to sell on the dark web while criticizing Taiwan’s cybersecurity defenses on social media. They combined military exercises with cyberattacks, launching distributed denial-of-service attacks against Taiwan’s transportation and financial institutions to intensify disruption. High-tech start-ups worldwide were targeted to steal patented technologies and gain a competitive advantage.
China also built a global stealth cyberattack network, exploiting password vulnerabilities to take control of Taiwan’s Internet of Things devices and use them to carry out further attacks. The NSB emphasized that 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. The government leverages a joint cybersecurity defense mechanism and uses multiple intelligence sources to promptly warn responsible departments of any threats.
The public is urged to prioritize cybersecurity measures and remain vigilant against Chinese cyberthreats, working together to safeguard the nation’s overall network security.
