Taiwan on front line of global cybersecurity threats: Lai

Taipei, April 15 (CNA) Taiwan not only faces military intimidation from China but also stands on the front line of global cybersecurity threats, and it is taking action to counter those attacks, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Tuesday.

Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Cybersec Expo in Taipei, the president assured foreign diplomats and exhibitors that Taiwan remained committed to strengthening its defense against cyberattacks and enhancing the resilience of its digital infrastructure.

Lai referenced a report from the National Security Bureau (NSB) indicating that the Government Service Network faced an average of 2.4 million intrusion attempts daily in 2024, more than double the figure from 2023.

The NSB report focused on cyberattacks by Chinese state-backed hackers targeting government agencies, the high-tech sector and critical infrastructure in Taiwan.

Under the National Cybersecurity Strategy unveiled last week, the government will continue to strengthen the resilience of Taiwanese society, promote the industry's ecosystem and develop new technologies for emerging risks, Lai said.

The strategy outlines the government's plans and objectives for addressing pervasive cybersecurity risks over the next few years.

Raymond Greene, director of the American Institute in Taiwan's (AIT) Taipei Main Office, said Taiwan ranked at the top in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of cybersecurity threat volume, citing data from the U.S.-based cybersecurity firm, FortiGuard Labs.

A report by FortiGuard Labs indicated that there were 412 billion malicious threats detected across the Asia-Pacific region in the first half of 2023, with 55 percent of those targeting Taiwan, Greene said.

He said the partnership between the United States and Taiwan in the cybersecurity sector was therefore critical because no economy or government could tackle such challenges alone.

According to organizers, the Cybersec Expo, which will last through Thursday, brings together more than 400 cybersecurity brands to showcase their latest technologies and solutions.

The three-day event also includes approximately 300 talks, featuring speakers such as Jan Bartošek, deputy speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies, and Jason Vogt, an assistant professor at the U.S. Naval War College, among others.