Taiwans National Security Bureau Reports Massive Surge in Chinese Cyberattacks Ahead of November Elections

Analysis
Beijing is running a sustained, AI-assisted cyber and information campaign against Taiwan's civil government and defense supply chain, and the November 28 local elections give it a clear target date. The July spike to 185.6 million Government Service Network attacks may be election preparation, though the bureau only says it cannot rule that out. Disinformation, up roughly half year on year and concentrated on Facebook and Threads, will put the heaviest moderation load on platforms and election authorities before voting. AI-driven scanning shortens the window between a flaw's appearance and its exploitation, raising pressure on government patching. Confidence is high because four outlets report consistent figures, but they rest on one government report, and intent is the bureau's own assessment. The counts may instead reflect routine scanning that agencies now log more thoroughly, and the bureau has reason to stress the threat before legislative review.