In the past three years, almost half of Dutch companies have been hit by a cyber attack, according to research by the German security awareness player SoSafe. More than half of the surveyed companies estimate that they are at risk of becoming a victim again.
The Netherlands is at the forefront of other European countries when it comes to paying ransom in the event of a cyber attack. Almost half of the Dutch companies surveyed have done so at some point, compared to slightly less in countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom and France.
The causes of the increasing cybercrime, according to the Dutch respondents, are the geopolitical situation, hybrid working, and the introduction of AI solutions and technology in the workplace. Phishing was identified as the greatest cyber risk, followed by social engineering, malware, ransomware and supply chain attacks.
Fortunately, almost half of the Dutch respondents also indicate that they are more aware of cyber risks, with a high level of consciousness being a priority for a large majority. As a result, more than half of the respondents want to invest more in security awareness in the near future. Log4Shell’s rock-hard impact in 2023 is still reverberating.
