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New Cybersecurity Strategy sets out ambitions and actions for a digitally secure society

News item | 10-10-2022 | 18:00

Today the new Netherlands Cybersecurity Strategy (NLCS) 2022-2028 was presented to the House of Representatives. The strategy describes the government’s vision of the digital society and the role played by public authorities, businesses and the public within it. It is accompanied by an action plan that sets out specific actions aimed at making the Netherlands more secure.

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Digital systems form the central nervous system of our society. That presents society with countless opportunities, but it also poses risks. Security in the digital world still lags far behind that in the physical world. Anyone buying a car knows that it meets all kinds of safety and quality requirements. And the buyer knows exactly what they are expected to do in order to drive the vehicle safely. This should be the norm for digital security too, which is why we are working to build a digitally secure Netherlands.

Government and sectors taking responsibility

The new Cybersecurity Strategy combines the efforts of many organisations. The digital threat is here to stay, and is increasing sharply. Criminals and hostile states thus pose a threat to our interests, and this means action is needed now to boost cyber resilience in the Netherlands, strengthen our system of digital security and combat the threat. This is the only way for us to capitalise safely on the economic and social opportunities presented by digitalisation and at the same time safeguard our security and public values. Responsibility for security will be transferred in part from end users to the government and specific sectors, with the most key organisations bearing the greatest responsibilities.

Strategy

The strategy sets out aims and actions across four ‘pillars’. The first pillar is enhancing the cyber resilience of the government, businesses and civil society organisations. The second is providing safe and innovative digital products and services. The third is countering cyber threats posed by states and criminals, and the fourth is ensuring sufficient cybersecurity expertise, strengthening education on cybersecurity and boosting public cyber resilience.

To achieve these aims the government will strengthen the Netherlands’ digital security system. To this end, the National Cyber Security Centre, the Digital Trust Centre and the Cybersecurity Incident Response Team for Digital Service Providers will be merged to form a single national cybersecurity authority. In addition, clear and verifiable legislation is being introduced, making voluntary measures a thing of the past. Security standards for hardware and software will be set at EU level. A clearer picture of the threat is needed too: only then can we effectively boost resilience.

Working in partnership

The Netherlands Cybersecurity Strategy (NLCS) was produced with the involvement of a wide range of public, private and civil society organisations, coordinated by the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV). The Cybersecurity Assessment for the Netherlands (CSBN) forms the basis for the pillars and aims of the NLCS. All government ministries will work in partnership, with one another and with other public and private partners, to implement the NLCS.

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