Investigations into three perpetrators related to Taiwan’s ‘internet army’ launched

China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) on Monday unveiled a hacker organization called "Anonymous 64," saying that it was an "internet army" supported by "Taiwan independence" forces and has frequently launched cyberattacks against the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, attempting to infiltrate portals, outdoor electronic screens, and online television to spread disinformation and disrupt public communications. 

National security agencies have also identified individuals involved in the related cyberattacks, including three active members from the "Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command," whose names and photos have been disclosed. Investigations have been launched against the three individuals, the ministry said in a release on Monday. 

Some "Taiwan independence" forces use cyberattacks to infiltrate the mainland, posing increasingly severe challenges and threats, analysts said, stressing that national security authorities expose such organizations and individuals to showcase the resolutions to crack down on related activities and deter separatists. 

The organization behind "Anonymous 64" is a cyber-environment analysis center under the "Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command (ICEFC)." This center is specifically responsible for conducting cyber cognitive warfare and public opinion warfare against the mainland. In June 2023, the center registered social media accounts under the name "Anonymous 64" and wantonly carried out cyberattacks and disinformation activities, MSS said in the article. 

The ICEFC was established in June 2017 as the "fourth military branch" of the Taiwan authorities and was restructured in 2022 as a direct agency of the "defense department" of the island. It primarily handles electronic warfare, information warfare, cyber warfare, and military line maintenance, serving as the main force for the island of Taiwan's cyber operations against the mainland. 

The MSS article emphasizes the growing threat to national security posed by the internet crimes, as some hostile forces and separatists advocating for "Taiwan independence" exploit it to infiltrate and undermine social stability in the mainland, Li Wei, an expert on national security at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times. 

Separatists in Taiwan are preparing for multifaceted cyber warfare through various online tactics. Li identifies three key methods employed by these separatists: spreading rumors or sensational topics to incite social conflict; hacking into institutions to steal confidential information; and recruiting or training individuals for espionage activities. "As cyber technologies evolve, these tactics are becoming increasingly covert," said Li. 

The MSS article also noted that since its establishment, the ICEFC has launched various infiltration and sabotage activities against the mainland, posing a significant threat to cybersecurity. It targets areas such as the mainland's defense industry, aerospace, and energy infrastructure for cyberattacks, aiming to steal sensitive data and gather intelligence for the Taiwan authorities. It also frequently distorts online public opinion, employs internet trolls, exacerbates conflicts, and incites divisions for its own gain.

Since its establishment, the "Anonymous 64" has posted over 70 updates on social media, using so-called achievements to attract attention. The targets they claim to have attacked include outdoor electronic screens, vending machines, online television, as well as the websites of news media, airlines, and universities, attempting to hype a false image of severe vulnerabilities in mainland cybersecurity. 

However, investigations by national security agencies revealed that many of the "achievements" showcased by "Anonymous 64" were exaggerated, with most targeted websites being counterfeit or zombie sites. 

For instance, on August 2, when a small internet company's website was attacked by "Anonymous 64" because it linked to several universities' official forum logins, the organization falsely claimed it had "gained control of the official forums of 40 universities in the mainland."

Warning to separatists

In response to the MSS article, the ICEFC of "defense depart" of the Taiwan island denied the information revealed by the Chinese mainland and claimed on Monday that it is responsible for missions related to "defense information and cybersecurity maintenance." 

However, analysts said the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities of Taiwan have employed what the Chinese netizens refer to as "water armies" to create discord on mainland social media. And in recent years, they have increasingly focused on cybersecurity and information warfare, and with US assistance, they are working to develop a more professional cyber force to turn the internet into a battlefield for infiltrating the mainland, seeking to achieve what they call an asymmetric advantage. 

By revealing the backgrounds of hacker groups and individuals supported by "Taiwan independence" separatists, authorities on the mainland aim to caution netizens against being misled by online rumors that incite confrontations. They also want to send a message to separatists that their activities are being closely monitored, a Beijing-based military expert who asked for anonymity, told the Global Times on Monday. 

Li said that in response to intensified cyberattacks organized by "Taiwan independence" separatists, national security authorities and relevant departments in the mainland should take more decisive actions. 

"Such crackdown is not a one-time campaign but a sustained effort to deter separatists. Additionally, authorities are focusing on strengthening our own cybersecurity technologies and skills while also raising public awareness about cybersecurity," said Li. 

"We urge netizens not to believe or spread rumors, and to promptly report any cyberattacks or disinformation activities to national security agencies or relevant departments," read the MSS article. 

The ministry said in the article that national reunification is an inevitable historical trend. Attempts to provoke and pursue "Taiwan independence" and seek confrontation with the mainland are bound to fail. 

National security agencies will firmly implement a comprehensive national security strategy, enforce laws against "Taiwan independence" separatists engaging in separatism and incitement, and resolutely combat all "Taiwan independence" schemes to contribute to the complete reunification of the motherland, said MSS.