According to the official WeChat account of the Ministry of State Security, Taiwan’s ICEF has been conducting cyber-attacks and infiltration activities against mainland China since its establishment in June 2017, serving as a tool for “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. In response, China’s national security authorities have closely monitored and thoroughly investigated these activities, successfully identifying multiple individuals involved in planning, directing, and executing cyber warfare. Among them are Lin Yushu, the head of the ICEF Cyber Warfare Brigade’s Network Environment Research and Analysis Center; Cai Jiehong, the team leader of the center; as well as active members Nian Xiaofan and Wang Haoming.
- Lin Yushu, male, born on January 28, 1979, Taiwan ID number P122635546, current head of the ICEF Cyber Warfare Brigade’s Network Environment Research and Analysis Center.
- Cai Jiehong, male, born on December 23, 1993, Taiwan ID number C121530051, current team leader of the ICEF Cyber Warfare Brigade’s Network Environment Research and Analysis Center.
- Nian Xiaofan, male, born on December 6, 1982, Taiwan ID number B121925951, active member of the ICEF Cyber Warfare Brigade’s Network Environment Research and Analysis Center.
- Wang Haoming, male, born on May 20, 1990, Taiwan ID number T123822994, active member of the ICEF Cyber Warfare Brigade’s Network Environment Research and Analysis Center.
The Ministry of State Security emphasized its firm stance against Taiwan’s ICEF’s efforts to use cyber operations for separatist purposes, espionage, and infiltration. Authorities are committed to uncovering those behind these activities and eliminating security risks. For instance, since 2023, the Taiwanese hacker group “Anonymous 64” has been spreading false information on social media platforms in an attempt to promote the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s pro-independence agenda. However, their activities have been successfully exposed and investigated.
The ministry also criticized the poor execution of these cyber operations, stating that Taiwan’s ICEF has established a dedicated Cyber Warfare Brigade to carry out the DPP’s cyber warfare directives, including espionage, sabotage, and propaganda campaigns. These activities include infiltrating critical infrastructure in mainland China, such as water, electricity, gas, heating, telecommunications, and networked surveillance cameras. The ICEF also targets key government, military, and corporate entities with phishing emails and propaganda.
At the same time, the “Taiwan independence” cyber force is reportedly plagued by internal chaos and corruption. Senior officials engage in power struggles, take undue credit for others’ work, and see frontline personnel as cannon fodder. They claim their subordinates’ achievements while shifting the blame onto lower-ranked personnel. Some personnel have even been handed over for prosecution despite their contributions. The lower ranks suffer from disorder, with individuals exploiting mission opportunities for personal gain, inflating budgets, colluding with external contractors for kickbacks, and fabricating or exaggerating cyberattack results to claim performance bonuses. Additionally, reports of indiscipline abound, including military personnel engaging in pyramid schemes, telecom fraud, and even using compromised systems for cryptocurrency mining.
