Tag Archive for: Taiwan

China intensifies disinformation, cyberattacks on Taiwan: report

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TOKYO/TAIPEI — China’s armed forces are increasingly engaging in nonmilitary warfare on Taiwan that weaponizes disinformation and psychological manipulation, according to a report released Friday by a Japanese Defense Ministry think tank.

The annual China Security Report, published by the National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS), focuses on the cognitive warfare being adopted by the Chinese Communist Party. That approach propagates information useful to the party through social media platforms and cyberspace.

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Information security challenges emerge often, ACW SOUTH can help forge cyber security for Taiwan

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Taiwan is under foreign cyber attacks up to 30 million times on average every month. How can ACW SOUTH play its role to lay down foundations for cyber security and empower cybersec talents at the time when information and communication technology is rising and cyber threats are imminent?

TAIPEI, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — In early October, Optus, Australia’s second largest telecom service provider was hacked, causing tens of millions of private data leakage, including names, phone numbers, emails and passport numbers. The victims of the cyber attack not only suffered from unexpected financial risks, but also were afflicted by such security concerns as information theft and privacy invasion.

Photo Credit：ACW South Cybersec Service HQ in Shalun, Tainan

Taiwan, with an equivalent number of population to Australia, has been under numerous cyber attacks. According to statistics, the average monthly foreign cyber attacks on Taiwan’s government agencies reach 30 million. In 2021, Taiwan’s government agencies reported 696 cyber security incidents. What the statistics are telling us is that you may rarely see it, but cyber security crises do exist, and they are everywhere. To prevent hackers from taking advantage of the accessibility of digital technology, we should build up accurate cyber security concepts, as we are enjoying the benefits of mobile lifestyle, and stay alert to new types of information security crises like hacker intrusion, data leakage and inappropriate uses of data.

Cyber security breaches everywhere, major international information security incidents become the focus

According to the 2022 Cyber Security Report released by cyber security solution provider, Check Point, on average this year, companies engage with cyber attacks 50% more than last year. Software providers are the main targets of such attacks, with the number of attacks increasing by 146%. In addition to the rising number of cyber attacks, Check Point also notes the trend of cyber attacks influencing people’s daily life. For instance, in 2021 the persistent attacks not only target supply chains, but also mobile devices, cloud service providers, national critical infrastructure, etc. Some cyber security incidents have seriously impacted people’s daily…

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Ukrainian lawmaker in Taiwan, looking to learn about cybersecurity

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Taipei, Oct. 25 (CNA) A visiting Ukrainian parliamentarian has thanked Taiwan for its support since Russia invaded her country in February and said she hoped to learn from Taiwan’s advanced security systems while in Taipei to combat Russia’s cyberattacks.

“Right now Ukraine is at the forefront of that (fight for survival and democracy) and we need everybody as our allies,” said Kira Rudik, leader of the liberal political party Holos, in an online interview with CNA on Monday.

“And this is why it is so important to acknowledge the support that Taiwan was giving to Ukraine, and the support is increasing and I want to extend my gratefulness for that.”

In Taipei to attend the 11th Global Assembly of the World Movement for Democracy from Oct. 25 to 27, Rudik said Taiwan is now perceived as a Ukraine ally and like Ukraine is fighting for its freedom, as seen by Chinese military drills following a visit by United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in August.

People in Ukraine have received good wishes from Taiwan and saw video clips of demonstrations held in Taiwan standing in solidarity with her country, “and this is very important to us,” she said.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Taiwan’s government has joined the world’s democracies in condemning Moscow and in implementing economic sanctions against Russia.

The government also raised nearly US$33 million in donations for Ukraine from Taiwanese through the Relieve Disaster Foundation.

The funds were delivered through four disbursements to Kyiv, to seven medical institutions, to Eastern and Central European and Baltic nations that have taken in Ukrainian refugees, and to related nongovernmental organizations in war-afflicted parts of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian lawmaker, who serves on her parliament’s committee for digital transformation, told CNA that beyond attending the assembly she also was hoping to learn from Taiwan’s advanced cyber security systems and its experience in combating cyberattacks.

She said Ukraine is moving forward with developing its own systems to support its troops, and she was interested in discussing digital transformation with representatives of the digital world here in Taipei.

Asked what advice she has for…

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The persistent threat of China invading Taiwan – 60 Minutes

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“This is not a matter of if they will invade, it’s a matter of when they will invade.”

That’s what Admiral Lee Hsi-min, who used to head Taiwan’s armed forces, told correspondent Lesley Stahl about China this week on 60 Minutes. Tensions between Taiwan and China have been ratcheting up recently. In August, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. China responded by carrying out its largest military drill ever.

For three days China subjected Taiwan to continuous sorties with over 100 warplanes, a barrage of ballistic missiles, and warships that encircled the island. The purpose was to deliver a loud and clear message: China could choke off Taiwan any time it wanted to.

But even with that show of force, Stahl found many in Taiwan do not share Admiral Lee’s sense of urgency.

People Stahl talked to told her over and over the military drill was “no big deal.” China has been doing it since 1949, when Mao Tse Tung won China’s civil war and the losing anti-communist side fled to the small, nearby island that is now Taiwan.

And while much of the world thought an invasion might be imminent, polls showed that a majority of Taiwanese think that is unlikely any time soon, if ever.

A big reason for that line of thinking comes from Taiwan’s manufacturing sector. The country is a tech giant, particularly in semiconductors. Taiwan is practically the world’s only source of the thinnest microchips, manufactured almost exclusively by one company: TSMC.

China relies on those chips, as does the rest of the world, for things like iPhones, advanced computers, and car components.

Morris Chang, TSMC’s 91-year-old founder, explained why some Taiwanese think the chips protect them from Xi Jinping’s attacking.

“Perhaps because our company provides a lot of chips to the world, maybe somebody will refrain from attacking it,” Chang told Stahl. “If that person’s priority is for economic well-being, I think they will refrain from attacking.”

“What if the priority is to come here and nationalize your company within’One China’?” Stahl asked.

“If there’s a war, I mean, it would be destroyed. Everything will be destroyed,” Chang said.

Wang Ting-yu, a parliamentarian from southern Taiwan, shared…

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