Defense minister demands accountability after NCSIST website hack went undetected

A hidden management interface left inside the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology's procurement website was exploited by an overseas IP, causing the system to send outdated procurement notices to suppliers.

Defense Minister Wellington Koo said the institute's outsourced contractor management interface had been breached and that the institute did not detect the intrusion immediately. The incident involved the institute's Procurement Information Network, which unexpectedly sent large numbers of expired procurement notices to related companies.

The institute said its original software developer had built the concealed scheduling interface to make management easier. After the interface was cracked, specific scheduled commands were triggered, prompting the system to resend inquiry notices to partner suppliers. The institute later identified the problem and issued a correction.

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Shortcomings must be held accountable.

Koo said the Defense Ministry would require a full review and improvements. He said management shortcomings must carry accountability and ordered the institute to establish standard operating procedures for responding to similar incidents.

Koo made the comments while accompanying Premier Cho Jung-tai at a Military Day event at Taipei Main Station. Asked separately about the Army's proposed NT$1.44 billion purchase of a newly developed vehicle-mounted missile system from the Armaments Bureau's production and manufacturing center, Koo said the acquisition formed part of Taiwan's effort to build asymmetric capabilities. He said details could not yet be disclosed.

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This is also part of building asymmetric capabilities, but the relevant details cannot be disclosed for now.