Taipei [Taiwan], October 31 (ANI): Taiwan’s National Security Bureau (NSB) has launched an investigation into suspected cyberattacks originating from China against Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen, raising fresh concerns over Beijing’s alleged attempts to interfere in Taiwan’s democratic process, as reported by The Taipei Times.
According to The Taipei Times, NSB Deputy Director-General Chen Sung-chi told the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defence Committee that intelligence teams were jointly investigating the suspected Chinese interference. He said the bureau was taking all necessary measures to ensure that the November 28 elections proceed peacefully and securely.
Chen added that the investigation could result in criminal proceedings against individuals identified as responsible. Shen’s campaign office revealed that it had uncovered evidence of systematic and sustained cyberattacks targeting its critical digital infrastructure, including internal staff systems and publicly accessible websites.
According to the campaign, the attacks began last Friday and exploited a vulnerability in the website’s file-upload function.
This reportedly enabled hackers to obtain administrative access to the hosting server and install malicious backdoors. However, the attackers failed to penetrate the campaign’s internal system because the compromised server did not contain its login credentials or internal platform.
The campaign identified the breach and immediately implemented security measures. These included removing malicious backdoors and fraudulent administrator accounts, resetting passwords and strengthening cybersecurity protections.
The attackers subsequently launched another assault against a newly introduced campaign website designed to allow supporters to register their attendance at events under the campaign’s 'Ocean Wave' initiative. Within an hour of its launch, the platform reportedly received more than 70,000 requests for authentication codes originating from foreign IP addresses, as highlighted by The Taipei Times.
To counter the disruption, administrators modified the registration mechanism, making valid account authentication mandatory. The campaign maintained that all affected websites had been restored and reinforced against further threats, as reported by The Taipei Times. (ANI)
China suspected of cyberattacks targeting Taiwan opposition candidate ahead of key elections
