TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan saw an average of 1,509 cyberattacks per week during the first three quarters of 2023, according to a report released by Check Point, an international cybersecurity company.
This figure makes Taiwan the region with the highest number of cyberattacks in the world, the report said. The nation saw a 2% increase compared to the previous year.
The majority of these attacks come from China, including both large and small-scale attempts to deny access to or sabotage government websites. Taiwanese Legislator Wang Ting-Yu (王定宇) said that while Taiwan does not engage in counter-assaults, it does defend itself, per 60 Minutes.
"Taiwan is an IT island. We are good at high technology…" he explained. "We are under these kinds of attack for a period of time. So our capability to counter these kind of activities — we are quite good at that," he said.
In February, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that the government will continue to boost its cybersecurity technologies while addressing relevant threats from foreign actors. “The government is leaving no stone unturned in creating a safe, secure, and stable digital environment for the people,” Tsai said, citing the creation of the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the National Institute of Cyber Security (NICS).
Tsai recognized that cybersecurity is pertinent to national security. NICS’ goal is to promote cybersecurity R&D, applications, and services while also bolstering Taiwan’s digital resilience, she added.
In September, Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) and United States National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director Laurie E. Locascio enhanced bilateral cybersecurity cooperation. The two agreed to establish a joint cybersecurity supply chain under the U.S.-Taiwan Technology Trade and Investment Collaboration framework.