What other countries can learn from cyber Netherlands
In Cracked by Jordens, we examine cybersecurity in the Netherlands. Today: the Netherlands' leading position.
Published on April 18, 2025
Our DATA+ expert, Elcke Vels, explores AI, cyber security, and Dutch innovation. Her "What if..." column imagines bold scenarios beyond the norm.
The Netherlands is a true cybersecurity country. A recent report by cyber security company Okta states that the Netherlands has made significant progress in detecting digital threats over the past year. We are now ranked third worldwide, just behind the United States and Germany. What can other countries learn from the Netherlands? We discussed this with cybersecurity expert Patrick Jordens. He is the director of Trusted Third Party (TT3P), a Dutch company specializing in cybersecurity.
Patrick Jordens
Patrick Jordens (1969) is an entrepreneur with a passion for digital security. He is director of the Trusted Third Party (TT3P) and founder of DMCC Group, which helps organizations comply with all external laws and regulations and internal policies in the field of privacy and consumer law. He is also a guest lecturer in marketing, data privacy, and ethics at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences.
The detection rate of cyberattacks in the Netherlands has risen so sharply in the past year that our country now leaves almost all other countries behind. In short, other countries can learn a lot from our little country regarding cybersecurity in general.
Ethical hackers are safe in the Netherlands
The Netherlands has been doing well for years when it comes to protecting ethical hackers, says Jordens. These are computer experts who detect security vulnerabilities to help secure systems, not to abuse them. “A good example of the Dutch approach is the principle of responsible disclosure. This is a statement that can be found on the websites of many companies. It means that when an ethical hacker discovers a vulnerability, they are not prosecuted, but instead invited to work with the organization to find a solution.”
A close-knit community
The Netherlands also has a strong community in the field of cybersecurity. Jordens continues: ”There is a lot of cooperation and knowledge sharing between companies and experts. For example, we have a trade association for cybersecurity companies in the Netherlands: Cyberveilig Nederland.” This club represents the interests of the sector and helps, for example, to explain legislation and regulations, such as the NIS2 directive and how it is being implemented in the Netherlands. “But they do more than that: within the association, there are closed groups in which companies share sensitive information, such as vulnerabilities and new developments. In this way, we strengthen each other as a sector.”
Helping other countries
The expert also sees a great deal of willingness in the Netherlands to help other countries improve their cybersecurity. “For example, the Netherlands is the initiator of a project to make Ukraine more digitally resilient.” This is the Talinn mechanism, in which various countries, including the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States, are joining forces to prevent cyberattacks on Ukrainian devices and programs. In recent years, systems have also been supplied to detect and stop malicious software (malware).
Jordens concludes: “In short, there is simply a wealth of knowledge in the Netherlands. And I think it's great to see that we are willing to share that knowledge with other countries and parties that are vulnerable.”
