As many will know, the Netherlands were under attack of Russian hackers that tried to break into the wi-fi network of the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Fortunately, the hackers were identified and caught before they got hold of any dangerous information. While we managed to hold of the foreign hackers, we are not so successful in prohibiting cyber-crime domestically.
A recent study has shown that only 5% of the hackers in the Netherlands get identified and caught by the police. Since we are living in a time of increasing technological capabilities and also more and more dependence on our personal data, this is a dangerously low percentage. While there are policies in place, the Dutch government is not taking enough action against the cyber-crimes. Rian van Rijbroek, one of the best hackers and cybersecurity experts that we have in the Netherlands, has warned the population of the Netherlands not to make bank transactions on their phones and to be extra careful on the internet. The Netherlands should take an example of the United States of America, which has recently launched a new policy to actively fight cyber-crime. The Rathenau institute has researched the capabilities of the Netherlands to defend themselves against cyber-crime and came to the conclusion that the government and even the bigger tech-companies are often victims of cyber-attacks that they are unable to defend themselves against. They recommend to install an independent knowledge centrum that helps both government and business to defend themselves. Also, they advise the government to deploy an annual hack-test in vital sectors such as healthcare and transport.
In conclusion, in my opinion the Netherlands should follow the advide of the Rathenau institute. Data protection is becoming a hot topic for a good reason, and the Netherlands should prepare themselves accordingly.
Sources:
https://www.ad.nl/digitaal/overheid-is-slecht-beschermd-tegen-cybercriminaliteit~a7e92e55/
https://www.nu.nl/internet/5473187/verenigde-staten-zetten-met-nieuw-beleid-aanval-buitenlandse-hackers-in.html
https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2018/02/04/de-beste-hacker-van-nederland-a1590907
https://www.nu.nl/internet/5473997/5-procent-van-hackmisdrijven-in-2017-politie-opgelost.html
