Research
The report ‘Securing Critical Infrastructures in the Netherlands – Towards a National Testbed’ presents the rationale for developing a holistic approach to securing Critical Infrastructures (CIs) in the Netherlands through, among others, the use of a multi-sector testbed. Industrial processes are becoming progressively digitized, and society is increasingly adopting digital technologies. The security side of this technological advancement, however, has taken a back seat. Industrial Control Systems (ICS) in our CI may be prone to cyber attacks such as hacking, social engineering, overloading, malware, exploits, physical attacks, and electromagnetic attacks.
These attacks affect the operations of public and private sector organisations alike and can also have large-scale societal consequences as disruption of CI services were identified in various national risk assessment scenarios. Through a multi-sector approach, CI operators, owners, and manufacturers can benefit from information sharing and exchange of best practices. Given the high number of financial losses, the large number of leaked user information, and the potential societal damage, it is now the appropriate time to seek a more holistic and comprehensive approach to the issue of cybersecurity. In addition to addressing the security concerns, this approach could positively influence the economic performance and position of the Netherlands.
The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies wrote this report commissioned by The Hague Security Delta.