Cyberattacks have become a pressing national security challenge worldwide. The core objective of cyberterrorism is to instill fear and vulnerability, thereby weakening public resilience and undermining citizens’ confidence in the government’s ability to protect them from future attacks. Such threats not only endanger national security but also erode citizens’ digital well-being, jeopardizing their right to fair, secure, and reliable access to online services. Understanding how the public perceives and evaluates cyber threats, and how these perceptions shape their policy preferences and democratic values, has thus become an urgent research agenda.
Drawing on the perspectives of risk perception, media effects, and decision-making theories, this study examines the mechanisms through which cyberattack incidents may undermine trust in government and shape public support for hardline policies. Based on the 2024 TWNIC national survey (N = 2,147), results show that most citizens are unfamiliar with specific cyberattack incidents, and only about 40% believe the government is capable of handling future attacks. While citizens call for stronger responses, they largely oppose government surveillance or retaliatory measures, reflecting a reluctance to sacrifice human rights and democratic values in the name of cybersecurity. Political trust emerges as the strongest predictor of both confidence in government response and support for hardline policies. Strengthening cybersecurity legislation and improving government transparency may therefore enhance public trust, resilience, and overall digital well-being.