Cyber Siege at the Digital Frontier: Chinese Cyberattacks on Taiwan’s Infrastructure Averaged 2.6 Million a Day in 2025

When you think of modern warfare, images of tanks, jets, and troops usually come to mind. But the reality in 2025 is far more digital—and far more relentless. Taiwan’s National Security Bureau (NSB) revealed a startling figure: Chinese cyberattacks on Taiwan’s infrastructure averaged 2.6 million per day last year. That’s not a typo. Millions. Every. Single. Day.
And this surge isn’t just numbers on a page—it reflects a new type of warfare that fuses technology, politics, and strategy into something experts call “hybrid warfare.”
The scale of the cyber assault
To grasp what 2.6 million attacks per day looks like, imagine thousands of attempts every second to break into networks powering hospitals, banks, energy grids, and emergency services. These aren’t random hacks or amateur attacks—they are targeted, highly coordinated operations designed to test vulnerabilities, overload systems, and wear down Taiwan’s cyber defenses over time.
The NSB noted a concerning trend: spikes in attacks often coincided with Chinese military drills or politically sensitive events in Taiwan. This suggests a deliberate strategy to combine psychological pressure with digital disruption, putting Taipei in a constant state of vigilance.
Who and what is being targeted?
The cyber onslaught spans almost every sector, but some targets are especially critical:
Healthcare systems: Hacking hospitals can delay emergency responses and endanger lives.
Energy infrastructure: Targeting power grids or fuel distribution threatens daily life and economic stability.
Financial institutions: Banks and digital payment systems are under constant surveillance, with attacks designed to erode public trust.
Telecommunications: Communication networks are a primary target to intercept traffic and disrupt information flow.
Even Taiwan’s famed semiconductor sector—the backbone of the global tech supply chain—is in the crosshairs. Attacks here aim at stealing technical data or undermining operational security, highlighting how digital warfare can intersect with global economic stakes.
Hybrid warfare: Beyond cyberattacks
Taiwan’s cyber crisis isn’t happening in isolation. It is part of a broader strategy of cross-strait pressure, blending military maneuvers, political messaging, and digital assaults. Analysts say these tactics fall under the category of hybrid warfare, where the objective is to coerce, destabilize, or intimidate without triggering full-scale conflict.
This approach is particularly challenging because it blurs the line between peace and war. While China officially denies involvement, the timing and intensity of the attacks suggest coordination with Beijing’s broader strategic goals.
Taiwan’s defense strategy
Facing a daily onslaught of millions of digital threats, Taiwan has invested heavily in cybersecurity. Its National Information and Communication Security Taskforce (NICST) works alongside private cybersecurity firms to detect, mitigate, and respond to attacks in real-time.
However, experts emphasize that defense is not about blocking every attack—which is impossible—but about prioritizing critical infrastructure, ensuring rapid response, and building system redundancies.
Public awareness is also key. Citizens and businesses are encouraged to adopt best practices like two-factor authentication, encrypted communications, and regular software updates. Even small precautions can make a significant difference when millions of attacks are coming at your systems every day.
Why this matters globally
Taiwan’s experience isn’t just a local concern—it has global implications. Digital infrastructure now underpins almost every facet of modern life, and cyberattacks of this scale challenge international norms, economic stability, and security frameworks.
For democracies worldwide, Taiwan’s situation is a stark reminder: cybersecurity isn’t optional. It’s national defense. Sharing threat intelligence, supporting allies under attack, and establishing rules for state behavior in cyberspace are becoming essential pillars of global security.
Lessons from the frontline
Preparedness is key: Cyber resilience requires continuous investment, public awareness, and private-sector cooperation.
Focus on critical systems: Hospitals, energy grids, and communications networks need top priority.
Hybrid threats are the future: Military drills, political tension, and digital attacks can be combined in ways that traditional defense strategies don’t account for.
Global cooperation matters: No country is an island in cyberspace. International collaboration is crucial to deter or mitigate attacks.
Taiwan’s story illustrates the harsh reality of 21st-century security: conflict is no longer confined to borders or battlefields. It happens in real-time, through cables, servers, and digital pipelines.
Millions of attacks every day, critical infrastructure at constant risk, and geopolitical tensions simmering beneath the surface—this is the digital battlefield of the modern era. Taiwan’s struggle is a warning, a lesson, and a wake-up call for the world: cybersecurity is no longer just an IT problem—it’s a strategic imperative.
The question isn’t just whether nations can defend themselves from cyberattacks—it’s whether the world can adapt fast enough to a reality where digital and geopolitical conflicts are inseparable.