China Ramps Up Cyberwarfare to Sway Taiwan Local Elections
Taiwan's NSB warns of a massive surge in cyberattacks and AI-driven influence operations from China ahead of November local elections.
Taiwan is bracing for a digital storm as its National Security Bureau (NSB) warns of a dramatic surge in China cyberwarfare Taiwan elections operations. With local elections scheduled for November 28, intelligence officials believe Beijing is intensifying its efforts to destabilize the island’s security and manipulate the democratic process through a combination of massive cyberattacks and sophisticated influence campaigns.
A Staggering Surge in Digital Assaults
The scale of the onslaught is reflected in the alarming data provided by the Government Service Network (GSN). In July alone, the network recorded a whopping 185.6 million cyberattacks. To put this into perspective, this single month's total surpassed the combined number of attacks reported during the first three months of the year.
According to the NSB, the volume of suspicious activity spiked between June and July, with the network facing an average of 2.58 million attacks every single day. This pattern of aggression is not new, but the frequency is intensifying. Previous spikes included:
- Approximately 100 million attacks in April of last year.
- 300 million attacks in May.
- 200 million attacks in November, coinciding with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim’s visit to Europe.
Strategic Targets and High-Stakes Theft
The NSB reports that the attacks are not random. During the first half of this year, suspected Chinese hackers specifically targeted critical sectors to weaken Taiwan's internal stability and global standing. The primary targets included:
- Academic Institutions: Targeting research and intellectual property.
- Telecommunications Networks: Aiming to disrupt communication infrastructure.
- Defence Industry Supply Chains: Attempting to undermine military readiness and steal sensitive technologies.
The intelligence agency believes these operations are designed to disrupt governance, compromise international cooperation, and sabotage defence policymaking.
The AI Factor: Automation and Manipulation
One of the most concerning developments is the growing sophistication of these operations, driven by Artificial Intelligence. The NSB warns that AI is now being used to automate the "hunting" phase of cyberattacks. Hackers are leveraging AI to:
- Identify system vulnerabilities and search for targets more efficiently.
- Discover "zero-day" exploits (previously unknown software flaws).
- Facilitate the distribution of malware through highly targeted emails.
Weaponizing Information and Social Media
Beyond the technical hacking of servers, Beijing is allegedly waging a psychological war to influence voters. The NSB warns that China may exploit existing domestic divisions regarding food safety, national defence, and energy to sway public opinion.
This influence operation involves the use of fabricated opinion polls, misleading reports on the local elections, and AI-generated content designed to deceive the electorate. The impact is already visible on social media. Between January and September, suspicious accounts published 2.5 million posts containing disputed or controversial information. This marks a 48 per cent increase from the 1.69 million posts recorded during the same period last year.