third Cyber Security Assessment Netherlands - NCSC

Core assessment » 1 Interests
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High use of social media
Social media are popular in the Netherlands. In relative terms,
[3: CBS 2012]
we are among the biggest social media users in the world.
Figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) show that predominantly
young people aged between 12 and 25 use social media a lot,
with no less than 95 per cent of them using it. [3: CBS 2012] Usage levels
decrease for older age groups. For example in 2011, just over
one fifth of internet users in the age group 65 to 75 were part of
a social network.
The growth in both the use of social media as well as the information
collated, processed, and exchanged there has meant an increase
in the consequences of successful cyber attacks through social
media. The interests of privacy, intellectual property, and confidential
information concerning the functioning of the organisation are
at stake if information shared on social media falls into the hands
of people for whom it was not intended. One example is the job
applicant who is turned down because the employer came across
some rather frivolous tweets or photos on Facebook.
Reuters’ Twitter and Wordpress accounts hacked
In the summer of 2012, the Syrian Electronic Army repeatedly
took over Twitter [8] and Wordpress accounts from the press
agency Reuters and then posted inaccurate reports about the
conflict in Syria and the welfare of foreign politicians. [9]
Rising cloud use
Cloud services are interesting to both companies and governments
as well as to citizens in terms of flexibility, costs, and ease of use.
Employees use online services on their own initiative, for example
for online file sharing such as Yousendit.com, if the company’s
email system does not allow large attachments, or Dropbox to save
and share files with colleagues or third parties outside the organisation.
As a result, both personal and company data are increasingly
being stored in the cloud. Mobile solutions further facilitate this
process by enabling users to exchange data easily between devices
and keep them safe in the cloud where they will not be lost.
Increased use of the cloud is reducing dependency on third parties.
After all, attacks on cloud services also affect the people who have
placed their own information in the cloud. On the other hand,
it also offers smaller organisations with less security expertise the
opportunity to achieve a higher level of security at an acceptable
cost by working with a supplier who is better at it.
Given the risks of cloud computing, the Cabinet has elected
to set up and manage its own closed Government cloud as a facility
to provide generic services in the Government. [10]
‘Big data gets bigger’
Big data (for example in consumer marketing, business services,
investigation services, and financial transactions) is the concern
of large information processors and technology suppliers, and the
use of big data technologies is therefore also expected to rise.
Compiling large data collations of personal details can put privacy
at risk. Furthermore, large data files in themselves form a new,
susceptible interest for organisations, and in some cases possibly
for society too. After all, the data file represents value to malicious
people who can use the data to attack third parties, such as in the
case of identity fraud. However the question is whether the owner
of the big data is always aware of the risks and prepared to implement
the measures necessary to protect third-party interests.
Growth in online transactions by citizens
Citizens are increasingly using the online channel. As a result, the
use of and turnover generated by online shops in the Netherlands
continues to rise, reaching 9.8 billion euro in 2012 (+ 9 per cent
compared with 2011). [11] The Netherlands is one of Europe’s
frontrunners in terms of the percentage of the population that
sometimes shops online. [12] There is growing interest in the online
channel in the gaming industry too (led by young people) and in
terms of turnover this is expected to exceed the worldwide physical
sales during 2013. [13]
In addition, the Dutch are relatively high users of internet banking
(82 per cent of all internet users). The use of internet banking has
risen considerably across all age groups in recent years according
to figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). [3: CBS 2012] Around seven
out of ten Dutch people aged 12 and above regularly dealt with their
banking matters on the internet last year. The rise in online transactions
is resulting in an increase in the economic impact of
IT disruptions and cyber attacks. Key here is citizens’ trust in the
reliability of online facilities (chain interests).
Digital identity
In part due to the increasing use of online transactions for
shopping, banking, and government services, the digital identity
of citizens and of government and private sector workers has
become an interest in its own right. To anyone with malicious
intentions, this digital identity represents the key to sensitive data,
money, and useful services. If identity cannot be sufficiently
safeguarded, the individual interests of citizens and the interests
of organisations are compromised.
8 http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/06/
net-us-reuters-syria-hacking-idUSBRE8721B420120806
9 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19280905
10 http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/bestanden/documenten-en-publicaties/kamerstukken/
2011/04/20kamerbrief-over-cloud-computing/kamerbrief-over-cloud-computing.pdf
11 http://www.thuiswinkel.org/groei-online-markt-9-naar-98-miljard-ondanks-recessie
12 TNO 2013, based on 2011 figures from Eurostat.
13 PwC, Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2012-2016, 2012. Supplemented by the Dutch
situation in http://www.marketingfacts.nl/berichten/
in-2013-meer-online-gamers-dan-console-gamers
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