The growing adoption of AI across industries and intensifying geopolitical tensions have led to escalating cybersecurity threats, fueling demand for robust solutions and digital forensic services. Taiwan-based Acer Cyber Security Inc. (ACSI), a cybersecurity specialist, has seen steady revenue growth as a result.
During a recent earnings call, ACSI president Rex Wu highlighted the company's strong market position, noting that some clients who initially sought alternative solutions eventually returned due to ACSI's superior services. With the fourth quarter traditionally being a busy period for project completions and new contract acquisitions, the company remains optimistic about its future. From January to October 2024, ACSI achieved a 16.55% increase compared to the same period last year, reaching NT$1.707 billion (US$52.49 million). Wu anticipates double-digit growth continuing into 2025.
To support rising demand, ACSI has expanded its workforce by 10% since 2023, bringing its team to over 600 employees. This includes staff dedicated to Security Operations Center (SOC) projects and the upcoming Red Team simulation services slated for launch in 2025. ACSI also completed a capital increase in the fourth quarter of 2024, raising its paid-in capital from NT$222 million to NT$300 million to meet operational funding needs, according to Wu.
During the same event, ACSI's IT director Tung-lin Tsai noted that since September this year, numerous public and private sector websites in Taiwan have been targeted by DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks. In response, the Ministry of Digital Affairs activated a joint cybersecurity defense system in collaboration with national security agencies. October saw further attacks on major publicly listed companies.
Tsai explained that DDoS attacks fall into two main categories: flood-based and resource-exhaustion attacks. Recent incidents have focused on the latter, targeting TCP Syn connections to deplete server resources or overwhelming systems with massive HTTP(s) requests, resulting in service disruptions.
ACSI's vice president of technology, CY Huang, noted that Taiwan's unique geopolitical challenges result in a higher frequency and more diverse types of cyberattacks compared to other regions. As global cybersecurity platforms often lack localization for Taiwan-specific needs, ACSI leverages local threat intelligence to deliver tailored solutions.
Advancing AI capabilities, Huang revealed that ACSI is developing AI-powered cybersecurity technologies to counter AI-driven threats. Innovations include automated attack pathway simulation, malicious activity detection, and enhanced website security systems like WebGuard. Previously, investigations into cybersecurity incidents could take several days, but now with AI, these processes can be completed within hours.
Looking ahead, Huang also indicated that ACSI is testing its proprietary web security system and plans to release a lightweight version for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This will enable businesses with limited cybersecurity resources to access the benefits of AI-enhanced protection.
