Autonomous AI Attack Allegedly Breaches Taiwan Government Data

Perpetrators suspected to be from China recently used publicly available artificial intelligence to breach government websites in Taiwan. A report by the Financial Times, cited by United24Media, states that this operation marks a frightening milestone in digital warfare. The AI software agents handled the entire task autonomously, even altering tactics whenever they encountered security obstacles. The operation lasted four days in early July. Eight automated agents mapped 21 government systems and systematically hunted for weak points. The autonomous software compromised at least 85 government accounts. During the intrusion, the system extracted more than 2,500 personnel files before ultimately targeting Taiwan’s nuclear safety agency and several national energy companies. Israeli cyber defence firm Dream was the first to uncover the breach. While tracking online threats, analysts found hidden evidence within vast online archives. Data indicates the attack used open-source systems known as Hermes and OpenClaw. To bypass standard security measures, the hackers tricked the software by claiming they were running an official security test. When one digital pathway failed, the system would dispatch another agent. The tool continuously rearranged its attack plan using fresh intelligence gathered in real time. Experts state this marks a massive shift in the global security landscape. Amir Becker, Chief Strategy Officer at Dream, called the breach an unprecedented autonomous attack against a government target. Becker issued a stark warning to world leaders. ‘This must be a baseline assumption for every government around the world,’ he stressed to the Financial Times. Although Dream did not specifically name Taiwan or China in its initial report, other sources quickly confirmed the targets. Analysts also found the use of simplified Chinese in the system’s internal communications, a detail strongly pointing to Beijing’s involvement. A spokesperson for Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs declined to discuss the specific case but acknowledged the growing danger. ‘Hacker attack methods are becoming increasingly diverse. In recent years, the integration of AI technology has changed the nature of cybersecurity incidents,’ the spokesperson noted. Taiwan currently faces an incessant barrage of digital attacks. The island’s National Security Bureau reported an average of 2.6 million daily cyberattacks from China in 2025.