According to experts, these cyber attacks are more like a performance than a real threat.
7-11, the largest convenience store chain, has been the victim of cyberattacks that hit Taiwan’s government websites in the past. The hackers hacked into the TV screens in the stores of the network and displayed a photo of Pelosi on them with the caption: “Warmonger Pelosi, get out of Taiwan!”.
The attackers also did not bypass the TV screen at one of the stations of the Taiwan Railways TRA. On the background of the Chinese flag was the caption: “The visit of the old witch to Taiwan is a serious challenge to the sovereignty of the motherland. Those who actively welcome it will be condemned by the people. The blood ties of one race will never be separated; great China will eventually be united!”
The Taiwanese government did not directly blame anyone, but said the cyberattacks came from IP addresses owned by Russia and China. According to Taiwan’s Minister of Digital Technology, the power of hacker attacks on government websites has exceeded 15,000 gigabits, which is 23 times higher than the previous daily record.
Taiwanese cabinet spokesman Lo Ping-Cheng said the government has stepped up cybersecurity measures for key infrastructure and government agencies.
Eric Valigora, a cyberthreat analyst at Accenture, said the latest attacks so far look more like a show than a real threat. He said past attacks, such as the malware campaign that ran from November 2021 to February 2022, were much more technically sophisticated and caused much more damage, forcing several financial institutions in Taiwan to suspend online transactions.