The Netherlands reported a total of 13,949 cybercrimes in 2022, which is nearly triple the amount reported in 2019.
In 2019 there were 4,715 reports of cybercrime in the Netherlands; in 2022, it rose to 13,949, almost three times as many, AD reported. In comparison, the number of burglaries, robberies, and muggings is at an all-time low.
“We see a lot of young growth there. The knowledge to commit crimes online is widely shared, and it is easy to do from home,” operational specialist René Middag at the National Unit told AD.
Middag also added that the COVID-19 pandemic played a part in this. As people were forced to stay home, they were protected from crime. At the same time, there was a sharp increase in online scams and fraud, which continue to rise.
Over the next few years, the National Cyber Security Centre, the Digital Trust Centre, and the Cyber Security Incident Response Team for digital service providers will merge into a single centre of expertise and information hub to improve the digital resilience of the Netherlands, the Dutch government published back in September.
“We need to improve our digital resilience and our ability to deflect cyber attacks,” Justice and Security Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius said in the Dutch government’s press release.
(Sofia Stuart Leeson | EURACTIV.com)
Source: euractiv.com
