Taiwan bans Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek over security concerns

Taiwan has banned public sector employees from using a Chinese artificial intelligence chatbot DeepSeek. 

According to a local news source, Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs said government agencies and critical infrastructure should not use DeepSeek, because it endangers national information security.

Rising concerns over DeepSeek’s data security

The ban extends to employees of government agencies, public schools, state-owned enterprises, and critical infrastructure projects, though enforcement details remain unspecified.

Legislator Wang Ting-yu urged private-sector caution, warning of potential cybersecurity threats linked to DeepSeek products.

DeepSeek develops open-source large language models. Its AI chatbot surged in popularity, surpassing ChatGPT as the most downloaded free app on the U.S. iOS App Store by 27 January.

After DeepSeek restricted user registration to mainland China citing large-scale malicious attacks, fears over data security have fueled skepticism about its use.

Authorities have taken action to ban the use of the AI chatbot after a cyberattack known as the Fake DeepSeek Campaign targeted macOS users distributing Poseidon Stealer, a sophisticated malware designed to steal sensitive data. 

The malware spreads via phishing links and compromised websites, exploiting system processes to evade detection.

Furthermore, DeepSeek failed a critical compliance test under the EU AI Act, exposing cybersecurity and bias issues. 

This raises concerns over its enterprise readiness, with Italy already banning and investigating the chatbot, citing data security concerns. 

Italian authorities found the company’s response insufficient, raising fears about data privacy that led to regulators placing a ban on the chatbot.

No response from DeepSeek

Despite the increased scrutiny, DeepSeek has yet to address the security concerns surrounding its AI applications.

DeepSeek’s vulnerabilities could make it a major target for future cyberattacks, further increasing concerns over its security risks.

As regulators tighten restrictions on AI governance, DeepSeek’s future remains uncertain, particularly in markets that prioritize compliance and data protection.