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[INTERNATIONAL] · Taiwan, China · 3 sources

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Taiwan security agency warns of Chinese cyberattacks and disinformation

Taiwan elections National Security Bureau cyberattacks disinformation China

Taiwan’s National Security Bureau (NSB) has reported a significant increase in Chinese-led cyber operations and disinformation campaigns ahead of the island’s November local elections. Between January and September, Taiwan’s Government Service Network recorded an average of 2.58 million attempted cyber intrusions daily. In July alone, 185.6 million attempts were detected.

The NSB identified approximately 2.5 million disputed online posts from suspicious accounts during the first nine months of the year, a 48 percent increase from the previous year. These campaigns, which utilize AI-generated content, fake accounts, and “online troll armies,” focus on topics such as energy, food safety, defense policy, and specific political candidates. Facebook remains the primary platform for this content, accounting for nearly 69 percent of the material.

Additionally, the Information Operations Research Group (IORG) identified at least 70 local election candidates who appeared in Chinese state-media coverage of cross-strait exchanges endorsed by the Chinese Communist Party. The IORG report noted that these candidates, primarily from the Kuomintang (KMT) and independent groups, were featured in 86 events held across 17 Chinese provinces between January 2024 and September 2026.

Entities

China · Information Operations Research Group · Kuomintang · National Security Bureau · Taiwan

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

  • [○ 1 SOURCE] The Information Operations Research Group identified at least 70 candidates featured in Chinese state-media coverage of cross-strait exchanges. www.visiontimes.com
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] The identified candidates were associated with 86 events held across 17 Chinese provinces. www.visiontimes.com
  • [● 2 SOURCES] The NSB tracked approximately 2.5 million disputed online posts from suspicious accounts between January and September. www.europesays.com · srnnews.com
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] Facebook accounted for 68.9 percent of the disputed online material. www.europesays.com
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] Of the 70 identified candidates, 36 belonged to the Kuomintang (KMT). www.visiontimes.com
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] No Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidates appeared in the analyzed records. www.visiontimes.com
  • [● 2 SOURCES] Disputed online posts increased by 48 percent compared to the previous year. www.europesays.com · srnnews.com
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] Taiwan’s Government Service Network recorded an average of 2.58 million attempted cyber intrusions per day from January through September. www.europesays.com

Sources

Taiwan Reports 2.58 Million Daily Cyberattack Attempts Ahead of Elections [www.europesays.com]
Taiwan security agency flags rise in Chinese disinformation ahead of local elections [srnnews.com]
Taiwan Report Identifies 70 Local Election Candidates in CCP-Endorsed Exchanges [www.visiontimes.com]