In a region that is extremely totalitarian, Taiwan stands out as a shining example of politics, innovation, and endurance. But this is under growing menace.
In recent years, China has used a variety of “gray area” tactics to force Taiwan to take the Communist Party’s attempt at unity. This has resulted in a string of cyberattacks that both aim to destroy Taiwan’s democratic processes and pose a major threat to its national security.
These problems range from sophisticated trojan incursions to phishing attempts. Website defacement attacks and Distributed Denial of Service ( DDoS ) attacks are often seen during significant events, such as the August 2022 visit of Nancy Pelosi, then- speaker of the US House of Representatives. Government agencies, academic institutions, convenience stores and train stations are among the target.
But, how is Taiwan defending itself from these problems? And can it proceed to do so as China’s techniques become more powerful?
Taiwan continues to be a major objective for malicious actors looking to cause chaos in the nation despite its advanced technology and strong cybersecurity measures.
Taiwan receives about five million attacks a morning, according to senior government officials. Additionally, according to Frontinet, a US-based cybersecurity company, Taiwan experienced just over half of the trillions of malicious attacks detected in the Asia-Pacific location in the first half of 2023.
Taiwan’s January 2024 votes, a crucial turning point in its political transition, saw a new level of cybercrime. According to the Ministry of Digital Affairs, social engineering techniques are frequently employed to entice users to download files or connections, which allowed the hackers to steal sensitive information.
A” risk artist” named Earth Lusca, who targets organizations that are of interest to the Chinese authorities, was one particularly alarming affair.
This professional targeted targeted emails a destructive zip file with the phrase” China’s grey-zone war against Taiwan” from December to January, including government and educational organizations and Taiwanese advertising.
The report was created to allow computer system piracy. Additionally, there were papers written by Taiwan-China connections experts that were allegedly stolen from the owners or the holding companies that owned them.
The schedule of these assaults, peaking only 24 hours before the elections, underscored their proper intent to destroy Taiwan’s political integrity.
Propaganda and deepfakes
These destabilizing Taiwan efforts do n’t just involve common hacking techniques. Deception activities are also causing social, economic and social harm to the country.
In the prospect- up to the votes, for example, a deluge of false stories and constructed content circulated on social media. The Democratic Progressive Party ( DPP ), which backs Taiwan’s independence, was targeted by these.
The publication of a 300-page e-book with false allegations about the Taiwanese president, which was one of the most heinous examples, was one of the most outrageous examples.
It claimed, for instance, that Tsai’s family was a girl. Additionally, it depicted Tsai as a nasty, morally corrupt, sexually sexual, and power-hungry tyrant. According to Chinese safety officials, the guide bore the Ministry of State Security of China’s logo.
The book’s authors even created and distributed false information videos for social media using AI tools like Capcut, which were developed by the Chinese technology big ByteDance. These films were produced with disturbing performance and quickly replaced if they were taken down by systems. They feature AI-generated tones and fake news anchors.
Additionally, there were rumors about Lai Ching-te, the DPP’s presidential candidate, having illegal sons, and other candidates having extramarital affairs that were spread on social media. To confuse the audience, the clips used fake technology to make the statements appear more accurate.
Although Lai won the presidency and these strategies did not succeed, they also raise questions.
With the help of conceptual AI and algorithmic software, orchestrated propaganda campaigns are becoming more advanced and widespread. And their ability to influence public opinion or exacerbate political polarization may eventually lead to the deterioration of Taiwan’s politics and instability.
And these methods can also be replicated somewhere. Different nations should be paying attention to the effects of attacks and propaganda campaigns on their elections and political institutions.
How Taiwan is responding
In response to these varied risks, Tsai, the outgoing president, has stressed that security is associated with national safety.
However, the government’s existing security regulations generally target cybercrime. Taiwan needs to take a more holistic approach because the distinction between crime and cyberwarfare is vague. This should encompass protective measures, rapid response strategies and increased public- secret and international collaborations.
Taiwan, for instance, is currently developing its own satellite internet service, which would be an alternative to Starlink from Elon Musk, to lessen the potential harm caused by sever underground computer cables.
The state is even promoting a US Department of Defense security framework for local businesses in collaboration with the American Institute in Taiwan, which will improve their resilience to problems. Additionally, Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice Investigative Bureau established a new research facility in January to combat the threat of virtual propaganda.
Through real-time surveillance of unusual control, propaganda activities, and fact-checking services, non-governmental organizations like the Doublethink Lab, Cofacts, and the Taiwan Factcheck Centre also contribute significantly.
However, with advances in technology, cyberattacks and disinformation will evolve. To create a comprehensive cyberdefense strategy, other components are crucial. This includes more money being invested in cybersecurity infrastructure, encouraging digital literacy, and encouraging responsible online behavior.
Taiwan’s democratic values can only be preserved by collective vigilance and coordinated efforts in the face of persistent cyber threats.
Lennon Y C Chang is Associate Professor of Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University
This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.