Dutch Ministry of Finance takes treasury systems offline amid cyber incident investigation

The Dutch Ministry of Finance said that, after detecting a cyberattack, it took several systems offline, including the treasury banking portal, and that the incident is under forensic investigation. The ministry stated that approximately 1,600 public institutions cannot view their treasury balances digitally, though funds remain accessible and payments continue via normal channels and essential services are handled manually where needed.

It emphasised that services for citizens and businesses, including tax, customs, and benefits, have not been affected, and core tax systems were not impacted. The statement noted that access to these systems was blocked as of March 19, with the investigation involving the National Cyber Security Centre, forensic experts, police cybercrime units, and the Data Protection Authority.

The article also indicates that, despite the disruption, participants retain full access to funds and can continue operations through alternate channels while security enhancements are implemented.