Alert Online Kick-Off Event 2025

October is European Cybersecurity Month! The Netherlands contributes to this awareness campaign with Alert Online. To prelude this period, an Alert Online Kick-Off event took place at Stedin in Rotterdam on 29 September.  As an organisation that plays a crucial role in the Netherlands’ vital and critical infrastructure, Stedin faces digital threats daily. Their commitment to strengthening cybersecurity is not only indispensable but also a source of inspiration for the entire network.

The event kicked off with Luisella ten Pierik, CISO of Stedin, who highlighted the crucial role of Stedin within the vital infrastructure of the Netherlands. Confronted daily with cyber threats, Stedin’s commitment to digital resilience is more important than ever. As Luisella put it: “Support, unity and solidarity are essential in the growing complexity of digital security.”

Following her, Leah Postma (Ministry of Economic Affairs) highlighted cybersecurity as a prerequisite for a strong economy, while Maikel Rollman (Dutch Police High Tech Crime Unit) stressed the need for vigilance in the cyber domain. Annemiek Wauters (NCSC) then shared valuable insights on how collaboration during the NATO Summit strengthened cyber resilience.

As the final speaker, Dave Maasland, cybersecurity expert and CEO of ESET Netherlands, brought sharp insights and an energetic message. He emphasised the urgency of taking action: “The threat is growing, but there is a perspective for action.” His call for organisations to mobilise their stakeholders closed the event with inspiration and a strong sense of urgency.

Alert Online: taking stock of cyber awareness

As in previous years, the results of the annual cybersecurity survey by Alert Online (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy) were presented. The survey provides insight into the state of our national cyber awareness: how are we doing in terms of knowledge, attitude, and behavior? And perhaps even more important: how can we translate these insights into concrete steps within our own organisations?

Key findings Alert Online Research 2025:

Nearly half of Dutch citizens are not or hardly concerned about their digital safety in private life. At the same time, in the past twelve months, almost three-quarters of them experienced attempts at cybercrime, such as phishing and, increasingly, telephone helpdesk fraud. Strikingly, one in five small SMEs (<10 employees) still takes no measures at all. These are findings from Alert Online 2025, the annual survey on cyber awareness commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Digital security is essential, as virtually everything today is digitally connected: devices at home and in the office, industrial machines and processes, financial transactions, shopping, business operations, and communication. This requires a continuous proactive attitude from companies, consumers, and the government. Investing in this is not optional; it is a must.

The proportion of smaller SMEs that appear to take no measures decreased slightly in 2024 to 20% of the population. Reporting of (attempted) cybercrime also remains very low (47% by employees, 53% by IT managers). Entrepreneurs often state that they do not experience damage or believe that reporting makes little difference. To support SMEs, the Digital Trust Center (DTC), part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, helps improve digital resilience through the subsidy “Mijn cyberweerbare zaak”. Applications are currently open and can be submitted until 31 October 2025.

“It is almost incomprehensible that too many people and companies still see online security as optional. Especially when you know that it’s not only petty criminals looking for personal data or money, but that some foreign states have offensive cyber programmes to digitally spy on and sabotage companies, large and small. More alertness and targeted measures by entrepreneurs and consumers, supported by the government, are therefore essential for safe digital business.” - Minister Vincent Karremans, Economic Affairs

Use of generative AI at work

For the first time, the survey also looked at how Dutch employees use generative artificial intelligence (AI) at work. This technology can automatically create new content, such as text, images, and videos, by learning from existing data.

• One in three employees (36%) say they are very familiar with generative AI, such as ChatGPT or image- and text-generating models.

• A quarter (26%) believe their organisation has clear guidelines for the use of generative AI to manage potential risks (e.g., data security).

• Almost the same share (23%) disagrees.

Read the full report.

Overview of activities in NL

During Cybersecurity Month, public-private partners such as the national government, municipalities, businesses, police, and knowledge institutions participate and organise events to create cybersecurity awareness. An overview can be found on the Alert Online website. From 29 September to 3 October, the Cybersecurity Week will also take place in The Hague, including many events that contribute to this ambition.

Source: Ministry of Economic Affairs