Cybercrime Affects Three Quarters of Dutch People, but Not Everyone Keeps Smart Devices Updated

This is evident from the recently published Cybersecurity Research Alert Online 2025 from the Ministry of Economic Affairs. To remind the Dutch of the importance of updating smart devices, the ministry is launching the campaign ‘Do Your Updates’ today.

According to CBS figures, the Dutch are increasingly using smart devices connected to the internet (IoT). In 2020, 8 percent of people had such a device, while in 2024, it was already 89 percent. According to the cybersecurity research, two-thirds of people regularly update these devices. Seven out of ten do this to keep the devices functioning safely. However, a third of people do not do this immediately. This means that there are at least 2.5 million devices in the Netherlands that do not always have the latest updates.

Smart devices come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from smart litter boxes to smart speakers, doorbells, baby monitors, and smart TVs, from robot vacuums to smart toothbrushes, thermostats, appliances, and even childrens toys. Cybercriminals can hack or take over poorly secured devices and use them for DDoS attacks, phishing emails, installing ransomware, and data theft. Moreover, depending on the type, they can remotely control the device. Therefore, it is important to secure these smart devices properly with the latest updates.

Minister Karremans of Economic Affairs kicks off the campaign today with a brief internship at the ethical hacking company Access42 in Amsterdam. During this internship, he receives a crash course on hacking smart devices. He also sees how a router and a smart TV are hacked in a home while the residents sit unsuspectingly on the couch. Subsequently, the minister is briefed by Barend Frans, who is responsible for public-private cooperation in the field of cybercrime at the police, about the risks of poorly secured routers. These form the digital front door of the house and prove to be an attractive target for cybercriminals.

Criminals are increasingly able to penetrate through digital devices in homes. This year, thousands of routers were hijacked to gain access to entire networks. Smart devices are also vulnerable: two years ago, it was revealed that smart lamps could expose wifi passwords. This year, it was reported that millions of smart speakers are easily hackable. Even smart feeding bowls for animals are not always safe and can inadvertently provide information about when people are on vacation.

Smart devices can be used unnoticed as part of a DDoS attack. And such attacks, as we have seen in the media in recent months, are becoming increasingly severe. On September 12 and 13, the security platform Cloudflare reported the largest attack ever.

Minister Karremans: “We can no longer take online safety for granted. The threat is very real: not only are criminals after personal data and money, but some foreign states are also deploying offensive cyber programs to spy on or sabotage companies, large and small. Therefore, it is important for entrepreneurs and consumers to be more alert and take targeted measures. Such as regularly updating their smart devices, which is something we are highlighting with this campaign.”