Cyberattacks on Taiwan government departments doubled in 2024 from the previous year to an average of 2.4 million a day, the self-governed island’s National Security Bureau said, with most of the hacks launched by People’s Republic of China (PRC) cyber forces.
Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory and threatens to annex it by force. It recently has ramped up military and political pressure on Taipei, including staging destabilizing military drills in and around the Taiwan Strait, a vital global trade route.
The National Security Bureau provided rare details of the attacks, with telecommunications, transportation and defense functions among the top targets.
“Although many of those attacks have been effectively detected and blocked, the growing numbers of attacks pinpoint the increasingly severe nature of China’s hacking activities,” the report said.
The PRC routinely denies blame for such hacks, which also have targeted nations including the United States.
Taiwan has combated the onslaught of cyberattacks by promoting free speech and empowering civil society, the Washington D.C.-based Atlantic Council think tank reported in July 2024. The U.S. has proclaimed that supporting Taiwan’s cybersecurity resilience is a strategic priority and reflects the principles of the nation’s long-standing Taiwan Relations Act.
The National Security Bureau reported that some attacks were launched to coincide with Chinese Communist Party military drills around the island, which included disrupting access to web pages of Taiwan’s transportation and financial institutions. The move sought to “intensify the harassment effect and military intimidation.”
Beijing staged major exercises around Taiwan in May and October 2024.
The PRC also targeted Taiwan civil servants’ emails and launched attacks, including social engineering, in attempts to steal confidential information, the report said.
The PRC’s cyber forces employed techniques including advanced persistent threats and backdoor software in attempts to infiltrate and compromise key infrastructure, including highways and ports. “Such efforts attempt to disrupt Taiwan’s government operations, as well as gain advantages in the fields of politics, military, technology and economy,” the report said.
