Cyber War Game Reveals U.S. Unprepared for Chinese Attacks on Taiwan, Defense Experts Conclude

A recent simulation exercise organized by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies revealed significant gaps in U.S. preparedness for potential Chinese cyberattacks targeting Taiwan's critical infrastructure, such as communications networks and power systems. The war game, which was briefed to Taiwan's president, demonstrated how Beijing could use coordinated cyber operations and economic pressure to extract political concessions without triggering military conflict. Experts noted that while the Pentagon regularly practices military conflict scenarios, federal agencies lack systematic coordination and budgeting for civilian-focused cybersecurity contingency planning.

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies conducted a simulation in Taiwan during late September that explored how China might employ coordinated cyberattacks to destabilize the island's essential services without triggering military confrontation. The exercise modeled a graduated campaign starting with localized cellular disruptions and information operations, then advancing to damage of undersea cables and electrical infrastructure supporting communications networks. Organizers found that while Taiwan's technicians could reroute services initially, sustaining operations over extended periods remained problematic as attackers adapted their tactics against backup systems.

A key finding involved institutional gaps in U.S. preparedness: the Pentagon treats such scenarios as civilian agency responsibilities, while those agencies lack dedicated budgets and formal contingency planning processes. Experts cited recent real-world Chinese intrusions—including Salt Typhoon's telecommunications breaches and Volt Typhoon's infrastructure reconnaissance—as evidence that adversaries already possess detailed knowledge of system dependencies and failover procedures, enabling more effective targeted disruption.