News item | 07-09-2022 | 10:00
It National Cybersecurity Center (NCSC), the Digital Trust Center (DTC) and the Cyber Security Incident Response Team for digital service providers (CSIRT-DSP) are combined in one central expertise center and information exchange. Combining knowledge and information about cybersecurity, legal tasks and services in the event of major incidents increases the digital resilience of the Netherlands. This new institution will provide all organizations in the Netherlands – large or small, public or private, vital and non-vital – with appropriate information and knowledge.
Ministers Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius (Justice and Security) and Micky Adriaansens (Economic Affairs and Climate), which these cybersecurity organizations fall under, today informed the House of Representatives about the results of an exploration into cooperation.
Government agencies work for different target groups
The government institutions have the same goals, but work for different target groups. The NCSC’s primary target groups are vital organisations, such as banks, energy and telecom providers, and the national government itself, the DTC is there for the business community and the CSIRT-DSP for digital service providers. In 2024 both will go Cyber Security Incident Response Teams (NCSC and CSIRT-DSP) of the national government together. Then (2026) the two information nodes and centers of expertise (NCSC and DTC).
Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius (Justice and Security): “We are increasingly living our lives online and criminals are aware of that. In addition, the current situation in the world, with a war on the eastern flank of Europe, makes this more topical than ever: our digital resilience to repel cyber attacks must be increased. It is therefore important that we prevent fragmentation in the approach to this between organisations. That is why there will soon be one organization, under the name of the NCSC, that will get to work on this. In this way we join forces in the field of knowledge, sharing information and expertise when things do go wrong.”
Minister Micky Adriaansens (Economic Affairs and Climate): “We all notice how important digital resilience is. For example, if the internet fails due to a cyber attack, the shops are empty or even industrial production stops. Digital devices and systems are everywhere. This offers opportunities for our companies and convenience for consumers, but it should also improve our digital resilience. The national government also has a share in this. With knowledge sharing, modern legislation and expertise in large-scale incidents. That is why it is good that we create clarity with one organization and contribute to our digital clout.”
More efficient and effective
By creating a single organization, the national government can deploy its cybersecurity capacity more efficiently and effectively. This new organization then functions as a national center of expertise, information hub and National Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT). The joining of forces also ensures an efficiency boost in the field of joint business operations, accommodation and ICT.