Dutch military intelligence agency MIVD has warned of increased hybrid attacks in Europe, noting that Russian hackers have been targeting the Dutch public service and critical infrastructure.
MIVD Director Peter Reesink said the Netherlands saw the first Russian cyberattack on an undisclosed public service aimed at gaining control of its system.
In an annual report, the agency said the hybrid attacks may include disinformation campaigns and espionage.
The report mirrors the agency’s previous warnings of Russian entities mapping maritime infrastructure in the North Sea to identify vulnerabilities and acts of sabotage targeting internet cables, water and energy supplies.
Citing the Russian espionage in the North Sea, Reesink highlighted the need for European allies to scale up military capabilities to keep pace with Moscow’s efforts to improve its military posture.
“If you look at the speed at which Russia is increasing its military complex, its equipment, its artillery, it’s by far much faster than we do in Europe, even in the U.S. So that creates a sort of window of vulnerability for us,” Reesink said.
The report also described China as a serious threat to Europe for supporting Russia’s war efforts and gaining Western knowledge, including information related to the semiconductor industry, through espionage.
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