In an interview with Reuters yesterday, Vice Premier Chang San-cheng stated that Taiwan hopes to join a U.S.-led anti-hacking drill in order to effectively prevent frequent attacks by hackers from mainland China and augment cyber security ties with allies.
Chang stated that mainland China's "cyber army" indeed uses Taiwan as a "testing ground" for its most advanced hacking assaults, and many hacks into Taiwan's systems have been traced to the People's Liberation Army. The ROC's government agencies have been targeted by a huge number of mainland Chinese hackers. These hackers have also invaded agencies that are not involved in sensitive operations like cross-strait negotiations, so as to use them as springboards to hack into other government units.
Chang stressed that mainland Chinese hackers could also possibly use Taiwan as a mid-way station for invading U.S. systems. If Taiwan can participate in the U.S.-led drill Cyber Storm, related bilateral collaboration and exchange would greatly help prevent hackers from stealing government, military and industrial intelligence.
In order to augment the nation's information security infrastructure and reinforce its cyber security capabilities, the Executive Yuan has set up a National Information and Communication Security Taskforce. Currently the taskforce is working to incorporate industrial, academic and government resources and professional technologies to strengthen the nation's overall information-security protection capabilities.
Taiwan hopes to share its experiences and successes in information security with other countries by participating in and organizing international conferences related to cyber security. This exchange would also further enhance the nation's own relevant technology.