In several Dutch municipalities and water boards, it is possible to via the internet the operation of pumping stations, pumps, and bridges to take over, so EenVandaag. The security of these scada systems would be insufficient.
In a report of EenVandaag was Tuesday night to see how the ground of the municipality of Veere via a scada system with an easy-to-guess password via the internet to operate. This would cause the water in the poldergemeente serious danger may come. According to EenVandaag can also pumps used in sewage pipes, heating systems and even bridges and locks to be controlled remotely, because the security is not in order.
The scada systems which, among other things, for the execution of maintenance work remotely on the internet are linked, are in many cases ‘secured’ with passwords or even no password. Via a scada targeted search engine the addresses of scada systems can be found quickly, while also default passwords that companies use are easy to detect. In the Netherlands hundreds of these poorly shielded scada-systems in this way attacked can be, say experts.
Although the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and the National Cyber Security Centre several times have warned of the risks of scada systems, there is, according to experts in politics, both at local and national level, as managers still pay little attention to the issue. Politicians of D’66 and VVD requirements now have clarification from the minister of Home Affairs and the minister of Justice about the security of the scada systems in the hands of the government.
At the end of January had D’66 already Questions in parliament about the security risks of scada-systems as a result of a achtergrondartikel on Tweakers.net. The party wants, among other things, the ministers, Spies of the Interior and Opstelten of Security and Justice, to know whether there is actually a very advanced software is required for scada systems attack. This is suggested in the by Govcert.nl established Cyber Security Beeld Nederland 2011.