Dutch Keep Cash under Mattress after DDoS Attacks

The Dutch increasingly keep extra cash at home after the recent DDoS attacks targeting the country`s infrastructure and financial institutions, according to the Virus Bulletin. The month-long attacks persuaded a quarter of Dutch citizens to follow advice from Nibud, a charity organization that aims to make families more aware of their finances.

Last month, ING clients reportedly lost hundreds of euros and were unable to use the online banking system. The bank first said it was a technical issue, and then acknowledged the DDoS attack. Hackers also took down other banks and online payments systems in the region.

“Over the next few weeks, as many other organisations were targeted by similar attacks, DDoS became a prime item on the news – making knowledge of DDoS attacks among the Dutch population more widespread than in any other country (with the possible exception of Estonia),” Virus Bulletin reports.

“Victims included the country’s largest newspaper, the tax and customs administration, and various government services, including DigiD, an identity management platform for Dutch citizens on the Internet. The attacks led to DigiD temporarily being closed for access from abroad.”

Internet penetration in the Netherlands is the highest in Europe, according to the latest statistics. The country also has the highest number of Facebook users, compared to its population. In addition, Netherlands has the sixth-fastest Internet connection in the world. Since 2011, DDoS attacks against Dutch infrastructures have more than doubled.

Besides banks such as ING, ABN Amro and Rabobank, and airline company KLM, hackers have also taken government agencies offline. In May, several Dutch Government websites suffered from cyber-attacks.