Many problems with cyber security of Schipihol's border control: Court of Audit

Schiphol is very vulnerable to cyber attacks, the Court of Audit concluded after investigating the cyber security of the border control systems the Koninklijke Marechaussee uses at the airport. Two of the three systems are not properly protected against cyber attacks, NOS reports.

Systems at Schiphol are hardly ever tested for how well they can stand up against attacks, not just from the outside, but also from the inside. "This is a real risk, as 60 thousand Defense workers have access to the network," the Court of Audit said. According to the Court, someone from Defense could log into the systems with a standard password found in an internal manual, and send an email on behalf of the Commander of the Armed Forces, for example.

Cyber security is crucial to combat digital sabotage, espionage and crime, and it is therefore a travesty that the Schiphol systems aren't up to scratch. "If the IT of border control becomes unusable due to a digital attack, the Marechaussee will be unable or barely able to carry out border control," the Court of Audit said. "The possible consequences: long queues, delays, and cancelation of flights."

The Koninklijke Marechaussee is a policing force that works as part of the Dutch military. The force is responsible for border security, including at airports.