Chinese Cyber Spies Infiltrate Dutch Defense: A Wake-Up Call for Cybersecurity

In a real-life cyber thriller straight out of the Netherlands, Dutch intelligence has laid bare a plot that sounds like it’s fresh off a movie script. Last year, Chinese state-sponsored cyber spies managed to sneak their way into a Dutch military network, according to the Dutch intel agencies, MIVD and AIVD. And guess what? This isn’t just a one-off thing. They’re saying it’s all part of China’s bigger game of political espionage, not just against the Netherlands but its buddies too.

Now, this is a pretty big deal because it’s the first time the Netherlands is pointing the finger at China for cyber espionage, and it’s ratcheting up the tension between the two countries. Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren didn’t mince her words. She’s all for dragging these covert ops into the spotlight, saying it’s crucial for cranking up the world’s defenses against this kind of cyber snooping.

Here’s the lowdown: the hackers planted this sneaky malware, a digital cloaking device, inside a military network used by 50 folks for non-top-secret research. And it’s not just about one sneaky breach. MIVD and AIVD are stressing this is part of China’s broader playbook of digging into Dutch and allied secrets.

Now, while China’s embassy in the Netherlands is playing it cool and hasn’t chirped up yet, Beijing’s usual stance is a flat-out denial of any cyber espionage and a thumbs down to all forms of cyberattacks.

But here’s a twist. Last April, AIVD was sounding alarm bells, flagging China as the top threat to the Dutch economy. They’ve got their eyes on high-tech firms and universities, with a special focus on ASML in Veldhoven – the big kahuna in the world of chip-making machines. And that’s not all. MIVD also called out China for trying to get its hands on Dutch space tech. But as for what these cyber intruders were after this time, that’s still under wraps. The good news? The damage was kept on the down-low because this network was off the main grid.

Cut to the U.S., and you’ve got “Volt Typhoon,” a major counter-op against a massive Chinese hacking campaign reported by Reuters last month. Are these two cyber dramas linked? The jury’s still out. But here’s a kicker: the malware, dubbed “Coathanger” by the Dutch agencies, is like a digital ninja, vanishing from virus scans and sticking around even after device updates or reboots. They named it after a Roald Dahl short story, painting a picture of something lurking undetected until – wham – it strikes.

Bottom line, the Dutch are pretty darn sure this hacking and “Coathanger” malware are China’s handiwork. And it’s not just the Dutch getting hit. This malware, tailor-made for FortiGate firewall devices by Fortinet, has popped up in a few other places too. Fortinet, a big name worldwide, hasn’t weighed in yet.