Taipei City Evaluates Security Risks Following Software Vendor Hack

Central News Agency, Taipei, May 28. Taipei City Council members questioned whether the hacking of a software vendor's internal network could trigger a security crisis for city systems. The Information Bureau responded today, stating that the incident poses no major direct risk to the city and that three proactive measures have been launched. Council member Ho Meng-hua pointed out that a widely used OTP SMS platform was hacked, leading to data leaks. Since this company also develops and maintains the city's internal communication system, 'TaipeiON,' concerns were raised about the security of city information. Information Bureau Director Chao Shih-lung explained that the city's cooperation with the vendor involves two projects: the SMS platform and the 'TaipeiON' system. He noted that the SMS platform was not actually used by the city and the vendor is already being penalized for poor performance. Regarding 'TaipeiON,' he stated it was not involved in the security incident and that all sensitive data is stored in the city's own data center. The Bureau has initiated checks on virtual hosts, terminated vendor permissions, and started on-site audits.