Cyberattacks targeting Taiwan’s government departments surged dramatically in 2024, averaging 2.4 million daily attacks—double the 1.2 million daily attacks recorded in 2023, according to the island’s National Security Bureau.
The bureau attributes most of these incidents to Chinese cyber forces, marking an escalation in what Taiwan terms “grey-zone harassment.”
This harassment includes a combination of cyberattacks, military drills, and other forms of pressure aimed at forcing Taiwan to accept Beijing’s sovereignty claims. Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, has consistently resisted such efforts.
The National Security Bureau report highlighted telecommunications, transportation, and defense sectors as the primary targets of the attacks. While many were detected and blocked, the growing volume underscores the severity of China’s hacking activities, the bureau noted.
Coordinated Cyber and Military Pressure
The report linked some of the cyberattacks to China’s military drills around Taiwan, including large-scale exercises named Joint Sword – 2024A in May and Joint Sword – 2024B in October. These incidents included distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, which disrupted access to key services such as transportation and financial systems.
“These attacks were designed to intensify harassment and military intimidation,” the report stated, illustrating how cyber activities were used in tandem with military maneuvers to pressure Taiwan.
Hacking Tactics and Targets
China’s cyber operations reportedly involved targeting the emails of Taiwanese civil servants and employing social engineering techniques to steal sensitive information. The cyber campaigns reflect a growing sophistication in Beijing’s attempts to undermine Taiwan’s security and extract intelligence.
While China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to requests for comment, Beijing has consistently denied involvement in hacking. However, it frequently faces accusations from foreign governments, including the United States, which recently alleged that Chinese hackers stole documents from the U.S. Treasury Department.
