Cyber Security Month 2024: South Holland Municipalities Drive Digital Resilience

Last month, during Cyber Security Month, municipalities across South Holland played a pivotal role in promoting cybersecurity awareness through a series of inspiring and educational events aimed at strengthening the digital resilience of local communities and businesses. Key voices, including Cyber Mayor Cornelis Visser and Sanne Brekelmans from the Platform for Safe Entrepreneurship (PVO), shared insights on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in their fight against cyber threats.

In total, 17 municipalities organised campaigns and events, with 7 municipalities holding multiple activities to engage their communities.

Highlights of the Month:

• Cybersecurity Week The Hague: This dynamic week set a powerful tone with prominent events, including the One Conference, the Business Event, ECSO Cyber Investor Days, and the Women4Cyber Congress.
• Local Initiatives: Municipalities like The Hague, Dordrecht, Hillegom, Waddinxveen, Zoetermeer, and Pijnacker-Nootdorp organized workshops, trainings, and conferences to support entrepreneurs in safeguarding their businesses. The “Cybercrime Challenge” in Leiden, Leiderdorp, Oegstgeest, Voorschoten, and Zoeterwoude encouraged residents to enhance their digital resilience.
• Awareness Campaigns: Initiatives like the Beschermjezelfonline.nl campaign and the launch of the HackHelpDesk provided residents with practical cybersecurity tips.

Strengthening cyber resilience through collaboration

These efforts underscore the commitment of South Holland municipalities to creating a safer digital landscape for local businesses. With cybercrime posing growing risks, collaboration among municipalities, regional organisations, and cybersecurity entities is essential. Mayor Visser emphasised the importance of sharing knowledge to equip entrepreneurs with the tools to face digital threats.

The Platform for Safe Entrepreneurship (PVO) highlighted the benefits of such partnerships by working with municipalities and business associations to strengthen SME cyber resilience. Addressing cybercrime is a multifaceted task that requires cooperation between public and private sectors to support SMEs effectively. By connecting these sectors, municipalities can provide entrepreneurs with actionable insights, saving them time and boosting their readiness to protect their digital environments.

As we conclude Cyber Security Month, let’s continue building on this momentum. Through ongoing collaboration and knowledge sharing, municipalities can help enhance the cyber resilience of SMEs and work towards a safer digital future for everyone in South Holland.