Dutch Warn of “Whole of Society” Russian Cyber-Threat – Source: www.infosecurity-magazine.com

Russia is ramping up cyber-attacks on the Netherlands and its allies in a bid to “disrupt and weaken our society,” Dutch intelligence services have warned.

The country’s Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) wrote in its annual report yesterday that it discovered various Russian plots during 2024, ranging from attempted sabotage to cyber-espionage and influence operations.

These included:

• A cyber-sabotage attack against the digital control system of a public facility 
• Underwater mapping and attacks “that indicate espionage and preparatory actions for disruptions and sabotage”
• Attacks on political party and public transport websites, in an attempt to make it difficult for the Dutch to vote in the European elections
• Cyber-espionage against the Dutch government and allies in order to gain sensitive personal data on company and government employees

“The Russian government is increasingly using a ‘whole-of-society’ approach to carry out Russian cyber operations,” the report continued.

“Multiple Russian entities, from private companies to the highest levels of the Russian government, play a role in Russia’s offensive cyber program deployed against the West and Ukraine, but even against Russian allies.”

Read more on Russian cyber-threats: Trump, China, Russia: How Geopolitical Tensions Increase Cyber Risk

Of particular concern is the growing willingness of Russian actors to take risks, “which manifests itself through more brutal, aggressive, or provocative activities in both the physical and cyber domains,” the report added.

Dutch minister of defense, Ruben Brekelmans, warned that Russia is militarizing at a more rapid pace than NATO as the country doubles down on its war economy.

“This annual report confirms that we live in a grey zone between war and peace,” said Brekelmans.

“The task is clear. We already have to defend ourselves against cyber-attacks, espionage and attempts at sabotage every day in the Netherlands. At the same time, we have to strengthen our military capabilities at a rapid pace. In NATO, this applies to both the Netherlands and other European countries.”

The MIVD report didn’t just focus on Russia. It also singled out China as a persistent threat, both from a cyber-espionage perspective, and its aim of “having options for action in the event of a possible future military conflict.”

Last year, Dutch intelligence officials warned of a long-running Chinese campaign that used novel malware dubbed “Coathanger” in a bid to steal sensitive information. Its initial access vector was exploitation of a zero-day vulnerability in Fortinet edge devices.