Taiwan faces significant cybersecurity threats, with 55 percent of the 412 billion malicious threats in the Asia-Pacific region targeting the island in the first half of 2023. President William Lai emphasized that Taiwan is on the front line of global cybersecurity threats and is taking action to counter these attacks. Speaking at the opening of this year’s Cybersec Expo in Taipei, President Lai assured foreign diplomats and exhibitors that Taiwan remains committed to strengthening its defense against cyberattacks and enhancing the resilience of its digital infrastructure.
He cited a report from the National Security Bureau (NSB) indicating that the Government Service Network faced an average of 2.4 million intrusion attempts daily last year, more than double the figure from 2023. The NSB report highlighted cyberattacks by Chinese state-backed hackers targeting government agencies, the high-tech sector, and critical infrastructure in Taiwan.
Cybersecurity threats in Taiwan
Under the National Cybersecurity Strategy unveiled last week, the government aims to build up the resilience of Taiwanese society, promote the cybersecurity industry, and develop new technologies to address emerging risks. Raymond Greene, Director of the American Institute in Taiwan, said that Taiwan ranked at the top in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of cybersecurity threat volume, citing data from US-based cybersecurity firm FortiGuard Labs. Greene stressed the importance of the US-Taiwan partnership in the cybersecurity sector, noting that no economy or government could tackle such challenges alone.
The Cybersec Expo, which runs until tomorrow, brings together more than 400 cybersecurity brands to showcase their latest technologies and solutions. The three-day event includes about 300 talks, featuring speakers such as Jan Bartosek, deputy speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies, and Jason Vogt, an assistant professor at the US Naval War College.
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April Isaacs is a news contributor for DevX.com She is long-term, self-proclaimed nerd. She loves all things tech and computers and still has her first Dreamcast system. It is lovingly named Joni, after Joni Mitchell.
