Russia and China are "intensifying" cyber attacks on the Netherlands, NCTV warns

Russia and China are stepping up their cyber attacks on the Netherlands and its allies, warned the National Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism and Security (NCTV). They are “intensifying and broadening” their attacks. China is no longer limiting itself to espionage but also seems to be preparing for sabotage. In addition, new countries are joining the cyber risks front.

Aggressive countries like Russia and China are using an increasingly broad arsenal of cyber weapons, said NCTV Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg in his annual review of the Netherlands’ digital security. Moreover, according to this Cybersecurity Image, they are increasingly hiring companies and hacktivists.

“The pace and complexity of state cyber campaigns is increasing,” said Aalbersberg. He sees the use of “multiple cyber attacks in combination with each other,” or together with other types of attacks (such as misinformation campaigns). Anyone who wants to defend themselves against this should “look at the coherence of these cyber attacks and the broader threat posed by the sum of these risks.”

Russia is probably trying to penetrate the crucial infrastructure of European and NATO countries with its growing number of cyber operations, the NCTV believes. Once established there, Russia can sabotage that infrastructure whenever the Kremlin sees fit.

China has so far mainly focused on espionage, but is also preparing for sabotage, Aalbersberg believes. He pointed to attacks last year on military infrastructure in the United States. Europe has not yet had to deal with this, but the rapid growth “makes the Chinese cyber sabotage program a potential threat to the Netherlands in the coming years.”

The Netherlands must also be aware of new “cyber powers” such as Turkey. Although they are not necessarily working against the Netherlands, they are aggressive towards political opponents in exile.

The report also stated that a hostile country was not behind two major disruptions this summer, including the faulty update from CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor product that led to major problems with systems operating on Microsoft Windows. The other was a bug in a crucial government network that paralyzed government services. The Netherlands should not become too dependent on a handful of providers, said the NCTV.

The arrival of the quantum computer and other new technology is also a concern, Aalbersberg said. For example, a quantum computer can potentially crack computer security with ease. He is also concerned about the shortage of cybersecurity experts in the Netherlands.