Businesses far too vulnerable to cyberattacks, data leaks
Only one in five Dutch companies has taken any precautionary measures against major emergencies, such as prolonged power outages caused by cyberattacks or sabotage, according to a study commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
The ministry initiated a campaign encouraging businesses to develop emergency manuals, crisis scenarios, and alternative energy supplies, as mayors caution that attackers are intensifying their efforts and a successful strike on the electricity network is imminent.
Mayor Marianne Schuurmans-Wijdeven of Haarlemmermeer, who chairs the Dutch Society of Mayors and serves on the national Safety Council, said the threat cannot be ignored. “It is not a question of if, but when a long-term power outage comes our way,” she told AD. “If only you could see what attempts are being made every day to undermine our electricity grid.”
Schuurmans-Wijdeven visited an electricity plant on the Maasvlakte that supplies 8 percent of the energy for the Randstad. “If I hear from them how much work they have daily fending off attacks on their system, then the chance is simply very great that one of those attacks is going to succeed one day,” she said.
“Power outage is the worst thing that can happen to us,” Schuurmans-Wijdeven said. “We are so dependent on electricity. If you want to stir unrest in a country, then this is the way.”
She added that companies play a crucial role. "Companies must ensure the Netherlands maintains its economic stability and adequately supplies its population."
A Motivaction study found that while entrepreneurs fear the consequences of international tensions and cyberattacks, only three in 10 know how to prevent or handle an emergency. Just one in five has taken precautionary measures or mapped out critical processes. One-third expect to face at least one emergency soon, and one-quarter believe they have already suffered damage from at least one such situation.
Schuurmans-Wijdeven called the lack of preparation worrying. “Whether it now comes from criminals or from foreign entities, the fact is that the attacks are there, and they go further and further,” she said. “It is crucial for companies to understand that they need to have a solid continuity plan in place.”
She said businesses must address specific questions: how communication will work if the internet is out and telephone traffic is impossible; how buildings will remain accessible if electric locks no longer function; whether there are alternatives for electric transport; and whether there is a paper playbook if computers fail.
Places such as Schiphol Airport and the port of Rotterdam are often seen as high-risk targets in any threat scenario. Russian television has allegedly even speculated about using a small tactical nuclear weapon on the Rotterdam port to deter the West. As mayor of Haarlemmermeer, Schuurmans-Wijdeven is directly involved with security at Schiphol.
Yet she stressed that vigilance is required everywhere. She said, "Yes, there are vulnerable places where it may happen sooner because the consequences are greater, but at the same time, various measures are being taken there, and plans are ready." “I think it is important that the whole of the Netherlands gets to work.”
The study also indicated that entrepreneurs are critical of the government: only 10 percent believe authorities are doing enough to create a resilient economy.
Schuurmans-Wijdeven said businesses should not look first to the government for help. “I saw that they find that the government must provide resources to be able to do so, but I find that remarkable,” she told AD. “It is about your business operations, your right to exist. This must be part of an entrepreneur's DNA, like security or a good working environment. You will have to invest yourself if you want your company to keep running.”
She acknowledged that the shift in thinking is difficult after years of safety. “We have been safe for so long, it is unimaginable that we are now busy with such things,” she said. “I am not a doomsayer, but I must think in scenarios. And those attacks will not wait until we are ready, so we must get to work as soon as possible.”
