News Roundup: July 1-15, 2024
Bite-sized news and updates on the latest in Taiwan cybersecurity
[Report] The Atlantic Council Publishes Report with Key Strategies for Taiwan’s Cybersecurity Resilience
July 2, 2024
The Atlantic Council's recent report, "Strengthening Taiwan’s Resiliency," outlines crucial steps for Taiwan's new leadership under Lai Ching-te to bolster societal resilience against Chinese aggression, particularly in the area of cybersecurity. the report recommends several strategies.
Implementing off-island, cloud-based capabilities for critical functions.
Forging partnerships with top-tier private-sector cybersecurity providers.
Developing a surge capability of cybersecurity experts.
Engaging regularly with the US Cyber Command’s Hunt Forward program
Exploring alternatives to undersea cables through low-earth orbit communications satellites.
Read the entire report for more insights.
Taiwan Bolsters Cybersecurity with Updated Cyber Security Management Act
July 4, 2024
Taiwan's Executive Yuan has approved draft amendments to the 2018 Cyber Security Management Act, aiming to enhance the nation's cybersecurity framework and foster cross-governmental cooperation. The amendments, spearheaded by the Ministry of Digital Development, seek to protect critical infrastructures and improve information security management across public and private sectors. Notably, the revised law clarifies legal requirements for specific non-government agencies (SNGA) to maintain high cybersecurity standards, focusing on information communication systems of designated critical infrastructures.
Yachi Chiang highlighted that these amendments refine the scope to ensure targeted and effective cybersecurity measures. The updates also emphasize the importance of appointing full-time cybersecurity personnel, expanding audit scopes, and implementing stringent measures for outsourced IT services.
Taiwan is committed to strengthening its defenses against increasing cyber threats, ensuring national security, and protecting digital assets. The law promotes regular collaboration with the US Cyber Command’s Hunt Forward program and explores using low-earth orbit communications satellites as alternatives to undersea cables, further enhancing Taiwan's cybersecurity resilience.
[Report] Rising Chinese Cyber Threats and Preparedness
July 5, 2024
A new report by private intelligence company, Grey Dynamics, titled "Taiwan Under Siege: The Chinese Cyber Threat," highlights the escalating and increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks by China-based hackers targeting Taiwan. These attacks focus on critical infrastructure and the Taiwanese military, aiming to disrupt essential services. Taiwanese cybersecurity experts warn of a potential 'cyber D-day' in the event of conflict, indicating significant preparations are underway to mitigate such threats.
Taiwanese Military's Use of Huawei Routers Sparks Security Concerns
July 6, 2024
An investigation revealed the use of Chinese-made Huawei routers at Taiwan's Army Hongchaolin Camp, raising significant cybersecurity concerns. Taiwan People's Party Legislator Huang Kuo-chang found two Huawei routers and a data reader from a Chinese manufacturer, prompting the Ministry of National Defense's Armaments Bureau to penalize the responsible contractors. Further inspections uncovered 128 Chinese-made inverters at three military facilities, including the Navy's Pinghai camp and the Tri-Service General Hospital Songshan Branch. Huang urged immediate termination of contracts with companies like Yongliang Ltd. and United Renewable Energy Co., which were flagged for incorporating Chinese-made technology in military projects, potentially compromising Taiwan's national security amidst escalating tensions with China.
Dark Web Threats Target Taiwanese Tech and Telecommunications Companies
July 8, 2024
Taiwan's tech industry faces growing cybersecurity threats as a threat actor claims to be selling sensitive data from MitraStar Technologies, a leading manufacturer specializing in networking products and services. The compromised data allegedly includes all official firmware, utility programs, and some beta firmware, posing a significant risk to the company's operations and cybersecurity integrity. This breach underscores the urgent need for robust measures to protect Taiwan's tech sector from malicious activities.
In a related development, IntelBroker, a notorious threat actor, is selling SSH access to a Taiwan-based telecommunications company for $2,000. This breach could allow unauthorized access to sensitive information and critical systems, highlighting the vulnerabilities within Taiwan's telecommunications infrastructure.
Both incidents emphasize the critical importance of enhanced cybersecurity practices to safeguard against the escalating threats on the dark web targeting Taiwanese companies.
Read Data Breach at Chunghwa Telecom to learn more about data breaches in Taiwan.
Taiwanese Student Recognized for Breakthrough in Iris-Based Anti-Hacking Technology
July 8, 2024
Lin Kuo-chun, a Ph.D. student from National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU), received the prestigious Hon Hai Technology Award from Foxconn on June 14 for his pioneering work in iris-based anti-hacking technology. Lin's innovative security solution addresses vulnerabilities in traditional biometric recognition systems by significantly enhancing their resistance to error correction code attacks, a concern raised by scholars over a decade ago. Under the guidance of Professor Chen Yen-ming, Lin developed a method to increase security bits from one to 100, potentially reaching a thousandfold in optimal conditions. This advancement not only strengthens the security of biometric passwords but also represents a major breakthrough in information security. Lin's work has earned two patents and publication in esteemed journals, including the IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing, highlighting its significant impact on the field.
TeamT5 Promotes Webinar on Enhancing Zero-Trust Strategy with Endpoint Threat Hunting
July 10, 2024
TeamT5 is advertising an upcoming webinar it will be hosting on July 31, where cybersecurity expert, John Lu, will share crucial insights on enhancing zero-trust strategies through endpoint threat hunting. This session aims to help Taiwan's cybersecurity professionals identify and mitigate hidden threats within vast data sets, addressing common barriers like limited resources and time. With over 15 years of experience, John Lu will provide valuable tools and techniques to strengthen organizations’ threat hunting capabilities. Register for this event is NOW OPEN.
Zyxel Showcases Advanced Security Solutions at Taiwan Expo India 2024
July 11, 2024
At Taiwan Expo India 2024, Zyxel demonstrated its commitment to comprehensive security with the introduction of the NWA130BE access point. This device, combined with Zyxel Nebula's extensive suite of management and security innovations, offers businesses a robust platform to protect their networks from potential threats. Zyxel’s proven track record in cybersecurity ensures enterprises that their data remains secure. The Nebula system provides comprehensive monitoring and reporting capabilities, including real-time notifications via the mobile app, and simplifies network installation and management without additional costs for software or hardware controllers. Zyxel's participation at the expo highlighted its leadership in digital transformation and its role in advancing global tech innovation with products like the NWA130BE WiFi 7, NWA50AX WiFi 6 access point, USGFLEX 50 firewall, and XGS1210-12 multi-gig switch.
Read Taiwan's Cybersecurity Revolution Protects the Internet of Things to learn more about IoT security in Taiwan.
CyCraft Hosts Inaugural CraftCon Taiwan, Showcasing Cutting-Edge Tech Research
July 12, 2024
CyCraft held its inaugural CraftCon Taiwan, bringing cutting-edge presentations from international conferences like Black Hat, Troopers, FIRST CTI, and BSides Japan back to Taiwan. The conference covered advanced topics such as neural networks, graph theory, LLM evaluation, and multimodal CTI applications, inspiring attendees with innovative insights. This event highlighted Taiwan's significant potential in information security and artificial intelligence, beyond its well-known manufacturing prowess. CyCraft aims to make CraftCon an annual event to continue sharing its practical data science expertise and to elevate Taiwan's tech community on the global stage.
Taiwanese Expansion for Italian IoT Security Startup Exein
July 12, 2024
Italian cybersecurity startup Exein has raised €15 million in Series B funding, led by 33N, to drive its global expansion, particularly focusing on Taiwan. This fresh capital will facilitate the opening of a new office in Taipei, positioning Taiwan as a strategic hub for Exein's growth in the Asia region. Exein, known for its innovative device-level security solutions, embeds advanced cybersecurity measures directly into IoT device software, creating a robust “digital immune system” that autonomously detects and responds to cyber threats. This decentralized approach ensures compliance with global cybersecurity regulations and enhances the resilience of connected devices. The company's expansion into Taiwan underscores the island's critical role in the tech ecosystem and the importance of cutting-edge security solutions in industries such as robotics, space infrastructure, and biotechnology. With strong industry partnerships and a commitment to security-by-design, Exein is poised to set new global standards in embedded cybersecurity.
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