According to the Taipei Times, on December 18, the Ministry of Digital Affairs in Taiwan announced that earlier this year, they had participated in a large-scale cybersecurity exercise at the invitation of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
The exercise, known as “Cyber Storm IX,” was the ninth of its kind organized by CISA and marked the first time Taiwan was invited to participate as a partner. It involved 2,200 participants from 11 countries, simulating major cyber attacks to test international cooperation and establish communication channels for future significant events.
CISA holds these cybersecurity simulation exercises every two years, inviting international partners to simulate attacks on US local, state, and federal critical infrastructure. The agency also noted that it remotely participated in the exercise with the National Institute of Cyber Security and the Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command of the Ministry of National Defense.
The objective of the exercise was to evaluate the impact of cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, assess the roles of government agencies and civil society groups, and evaluate communication and response procedures with international partners.
During the exercise, Taiwanese participants analyzed simulated security incidents and shared various information and warnings with their American counterparts through the National Information and Communication Security Center and the National Information Sharing and Analysis Center.
Following the conclusion of the exercise, Taiwanese participants exchanged information with their American counterparts, and both sides deemed the exercise successful. Insights and lessons learned during the exercise can be incorporated into Taiwan’s emergency response mechanisms to better prepare for various security incidents.
On November 6, 2019, Taiwan and the US held their first cross-border Cyber Offensive and Defensive Exercise, with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Cybersecurity of the Executive Yuan, Chen Chi-mai, and American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Brent Christensen in attendance. Christensen emphasized Taiwan’s inclusion in every major component of the US economic strategy and its active role, stating that “cybersecurity is a crucial foundation of the US-Taiwan Indo-Pacific partnership.”