20% of Dutch businesses hit by cyber attacks in 2016
Over 20% of businesses in the Netherlands with 10 or more employees were targeted by cyber attacks last year, according to the country's national statistics office. Financial and energy firms were the most common victims. In addition, 43% of all Dutch companies reported internet breakdowns and other IT failures in the last year. Despite the large number of attacks, only a quarter of breaches were reported to the police or other relevant authorities.

More than 20% of Dutch companies employing more than 10 people were hit by cyber attacks by third parties in 2016, the national statistics office CBS said on Monday. Companies operating in the financial and energy sectors were hardest hit.

Some 43% of companies also had to cope with internet breakdowns and other IT failures last year, the CBS said.

The CBS also looked into people’s willingness to report cyber crimes such as online bullying, hacking and sales fraud to the authorities.

It found around a quarter of incidents are reported to the police or other authorities but only 7.6% of people affected by cyber crime went on to make a formal report to police.