Els de Busser: cyber security is a precious human endeavour
In Dutch daily Trouw, assistent professor Cyber Security Governance, Els de Busser writes about the importance of good digital safety at companies. Dutch telephone and internet provider KPN is lacking in this respect. ' In Trouw schrijft Els de Busser, universitair docent Cyber Security Governance aan de faculteit Governance and Global Affairs, over het belang van goede digitale veiligheid bij bedrijven. KPN schoot daarin tekort, betoogt zij. 'Limit the risks of data loss. Don't trust all your people, but take care of technical guarantees.'
Companies are obliged to take precautionary measures, and KPN did not do this sufficiently. This allowed unauthorized persons to access confidential information. A laptop from a KPN engineer shows how easy it is. For example, there was no password blocking entrance to the laptop. Also the laptop still used an outdated operating system, with all the associated risks that go with it.
KPN is an extraordinary company, as it plays a critical role in protecting the vital Dutch infrastructure. These are services with a national interest, such as the communication of emergency services and the army. That is why KPN itself is also a target of cyber attacks. According to De Busser, it is therefore remarkable that cyber security on their intranet for example, could be much better.
Insufficient security is costly
Cyber security is of great importance for all companies. The cost of insufficient security is considerable. In 2018, an estimated two thirds of Dutch companies and institutions are affected by cyber attacks, KPN reports in a report. The average damage of an attack was 300,000 euros.
Read the article (in Dutch) here.