Strengthening Cyber Resilience for SMEs: Municipalities in South Holland Collaborate for Action

Municipalities of the Province of South Holland came together at the HSD Campus in The Hague for a follow-up meeting on cyber resilience for SMEs in the region. During the previous sessions the value of exchanging knowledge and experience was expressed. Therefore, this meeting focused on how municipalities are currently addressing the cyber resilience issues, how to collaborate with other partners, and to discuss the future perspectives on strengthening cyber resilience in South Holland. 

Valuable insights  

The session kicked off with a presentation given by the municipalities of Dordrecht and Zoetermeer in which they provided valuable insights into their initiatives to strengthen the cyber resilience of SMEs in their municipality. 

Joel Schellekens from municipality Dordrecht shared how municipalities can effectively engage with SMEs to strengthen their cyber resilience, emphasising the importance of communication. Franka Boender from Zoetermeer further highlighted that municipalities could learn from SMEs, who, as frequent targets of cyberattacks, often possess more experience in dealing with such threats than the municipalities themselves.

“During the presentations from the municipalities, we gained valuable insights that highlighted the importance of strengthening cyber resilience for SMEs. Their initiatives also provide a clear view how we can collaborate and strengthen each other to create a more secure and resilient future for businesses in the region.” Tim Schraa (RSIV)

 

Following the presentations the participants shared their thoughts and exchanged ideas on collaboration, and we reflected on the joined approach during the Cyber Security Month. Furthermore, current and desired campaigns were discussed, and further discussion took place on what is needed to support SMEs more effectively in their cybersecurity efforts.

Some key takeaways included: 

• The Cyber Security Month enables municipalities to address digital security, leading to more events and campaigns.
• Striking a balance between targeted local approaches and regional collaboration efforts.
• Data on cyberattacks would be valuable to help prioritising cybersecurity.

“The exchange of ideas showed the importance of collaboration in developing solutions that strengthen SMEs. The shared goal is to ensure that cybersecurity becomes a core part of their operations, supporting long-term cyber resilience.” Emma Peters (The municipality of Zoetermeer)

 

Future collaboration 

The key takeaway from the meeting was the importance of collaboration and sharing knowledge between municipalities to improve the cyber resilience of SMEs in South Holland. The insights and initiatives shared by the municipalities of Zoetermeer and Dordrecht showed a variety of valuable approaches.  

Furthermore, there was a fruitful discussion on how municipalities, together with other partners, can more effectively support SMEs. Overall, it was clear that collective action is essential to build a strong front.

Read here more about the South Holland Cyber Resilience Collaboration and all the cybersecurity initiatives during Cyber Security Month.