Updated
Updated · Global Taiwan Institute · Aug 12
China-Linked Cyberattacks Hit Taiwan 2.63 Million Times Daily in 2025, More Than Double 2023
Updated
Updated · Global Taiwan Institute · Aug 12

China-Linked Cyberattacks Hit Taiwan 2.63 Million Times Daily in 2025, More Than Double 2023

3 articles · Updated · Global Taiwan Institute · Aug 12

Summary

  • Taiwan’s National Security Bureau said the island’s infrastructure faced an average 2.63 million cyberattacks a day in 2025, with most attributed to Chinese state-backed hackers.
  • Energy, emergency rescue, hospitals and communications saw the sharpest increases, as Taipei says Beijing is using cyber operations to intimidate leaders, test resilience and erode public trust.
  • The NSB reported attack spikes around President Lai Ching-te’s speeches and overseas trips, while hacked sites have displayed unification slogans; a 2024 survey found only 41% trusted the government’s cyber response.
  • Cyber pressure now sits alongside broader coercion: Chinese military sorties near Taiwan rose from 380 in 2020 to 5,709 in 2025, and officials warn attacks could disrupt communications in any blockade or invasion scenario.
  • Taipei has budgeted NT$8.8 billion for cybersecurity over 2025-2028, but the report argues spending, talent and international cooperation still lag the scale of the threat, including risks to Taiwan’s chip industry and global supply chains.

Insights

How will autonomous AI cyberattacks reshape global warfare if Taiwan's critical infrastructure is already facing millions of daily breaches?
Could the weaponization of open-source AI tools in cyber warfare make it impossible to definitively trace attacks back to state actors?