Netherlands Launches Mobile Cybersecurity Lab to Shield Critical Infrastructure from Attacks

2026-02-03 data

The Hague, Tuesday, 3 February 2026.
Dutch security agencies have unveiled a groundbreaking mobile laboratory that allows organizations to simulate cyberattacks on industrial control systems without disrupting operations. The initiative comes as Russia attempted its first cyber-sabotage against Dutch infrastructure in 2026, highlighting urgent vulnerabilities in power plants, water treatment facilities, and transport systems that control physical processes keeping the nation running.

Mobile Lab Addresses Critical Security Gap

The mobile OT-Lab, officially launched on February 2, 2025, represents a collaborative effort between the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) to protect operational technology against digital threats [1][2]. The laboratory allows organizations to practice cyberattack response and defense in realistic, industrial environments without disrupting operational continuity [2]. Operational technology encompasses hardware and software that monitors and controls physical processes in facilities like power plants, water treatment plants, and transport systems - infrastructure that differs fundamentally from traditional IT systems in its focus on protecting physical processes rather than data [2].

Multi-Year Innovation Program Takes Shape

The mobile lab serves as the foundation for a comprehensive OT Cyber Innovation Programme developed jointly by TNO, the IACS Coalition, and the NCSC [1]. During a workshop held at the Flowcenter in the Duurzaamheidsfabriek, approximately 40 OT and cybersecurity experts from various organizations explored the lab’s capabilities and contributed real-world experience to shape the program [1][5]. The initiative combines TNO’s OT Mobile Cyber Lab for knowledge sharing, testing, simulations, and experiments with an ecosystem approach that integrates knowledge, resources, and threat intelligence [1]. The program follows a structured roadmap: building preconditions and launching the lab in 2025, scaling up with partners and running two use cases in 2026, and establishing a fully-fledged OT Cyber Innovation Programme in 2027 [1].

Timing Driven by Escalating Threats

The urgency behind this initiative became clear when the Militaire Inlichtingen- en Veiligheidsdienst reported Russia’s first cyber-sabotage attempt against a Dutch control system in 2026, warning that vital infrastructure represents a primary target for future attacks [8]. The convergence of IT and OT systems has expanded the attack surface for cybercriminals, while the critical nature of these systems means downtime is often not an option, as incidents can lead to financial, reputational, and societal disruption [1]. The mobile lab’s launch coincides with increasing European legislation like the NIS2 directive, which came into effect in October 2024 and mandates stricter cybersecurity requirements for organizations providing essential or important services [2][8].

Addressing Infrastructure Vulnerabilities

The Netherlands faces significant vulnerabilities in its critical infrastructure, as highlighted by recent assessments. Many installations are decades old, designed for closed environments and therefore not always resistant to modern digital threats, according to Max van der Horst, a digital resilience researcher at TU Delft [8]. The Algemene Rekenkamer determined in 2019 that tunnels, bridges, locks, and water barriers are insufficiently protected against cyber attacks [8]. Water management systems face particular risks, with digital control systems of waterworks sometimes inadequately secured, creating potential for misuse during high water seasons [8]. Vincent Lokin, a board member at the Unie van Waterschappen, acknowledged the threat level, stating that water boards are aware they appear on lists of parties seeking to harm them [8]. The mobile OT-Lab addresses these challenges by providing organizations access to expertise, practice opportunities, and innovations to help protect their critical processes [2].

Bronnen

cybersecurity innovation industrial automation