In the current digital age, information and communication technology has long been integrated into various aspects of daily life, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and 5G mobile networks and other technologies. While technologies bring immense benefits, there have also been various kinds of cybersecurity threats, such as Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) attacks, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, and Critical Infrastructure (CI) hacking.
Cybersecurity holds a significant impact on national security, public interest, national life, or economic activities. Enhancing the national security protection capacity, strengthening the security, and fostering resilience of basic communication networks are necessary. Regarding the economy, various industries should incorporate cybersecurity protection thinking to form the basis of the united defence of government agencies and private enterprises. Hence, the awareness of cybersecurity will be deeply rooted in the mindset.
Since there is a wide application of information and communication services; cybersecurity plays a key role in national security and even the aspects of the social-economic application with technology innovation policies. Taiwan will continue to develop its cybersecurity protection capabilities and advantages on the existing basis and aspects of the defence to respond to international trends and emerging types of cybersecurity attacks and threats.
To gradually enhance Taiwan’s cybersecurity protection capabilities, the National Information & Communication Security Taskforce (NICST) proposed the National Cyber Security Programme of Taiwan (NCSP) as the reference guide for promoting cybersecurity protection strategy and plan.
Taiwan’s national cybersecurity policy has undergone systematic development and gradually achieved the scheduled milestones to effectively reinforce the readiness of national cybersecurity. The objectives include the establishment of a safe environment of cybersecurity, the completion of cybersecurity protection management, sharing of multiple cybersecurity information, the expansion of the cultivation of cybersecurity talent, and the reinforcement of international cybersecurity exchanges.
With the development of emerging technologies and the popularisation of IoT devices, as well as the advent of the 5G era, the threat of information and communication is increasing. Taiwan is also facing more severe challenges due to its special political and economic situation. To maintain cybersecurity protection actively cultivate sufficient cybersecurity talents as the primary goal, the first objective the cybersecurity programme is to become the cybersecurity research and training hub in the Asia-Pacific region.
The second objective of this programme is to construct a proactively defending infrastructure network. It turns the passive defence after a cybersecurity incident occurs into active defence. The active defence includes adjusting the protection mechanism and improving contingency measures introducing source tracing, detection, early warnings and countermeasures into the protection strategies to respond to multiple and complex malicious attacks.
Through the use of national mission-oriented research related application technologies, this programme improves the cybersecurity protection of Government Service Network (GSN), analyses the information and converts it into effective intelligence. Then, the programme further enhances the power of scientific and technological investigations to prevent emerging cybercrimes.
The last objective is to establish a public-private partnership to create an environmental safety of cybersecurity amongst industry, government, academia, and research institutes. As 5G networks and IoT devices are closely related to the lives of citizens. This programme not only promotes chip security to improve the core security of equipment, but also improves the network security of the new generation of mobile communication technology. Moreover, this programme promotes IoT compliance verification and field demonstration, so that citizens experience the convenience brought by new technology, and at the same time enjoying security, and jointly maintaining a smart network security environment.
Taiwan’s cybersecurity landscape has been one of the top priorities of its government. As reported by OpenGov Asia, The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) held a cybersecurity exhibition, the Cyber Taiwan Pavilion. The MOEA’s Industrial Development Bureau has utilised domain scenario designs and simulations to present how Taiwan’s cybersecurity has been preparing to serve as the security backbone of the city of the future. This includes smart transportation cybersecurity, 5G cybersecurity, operational technology security and smart manufacturing cybersecurity.
