A cyberattack on Dutch law enforcement originated from Russian-linked hackers during the last year while the same group continues to focus on Western countries backing Ukraine according to Netherlands intelligence agencies.
The MIVD and AIVD joint report reveals that “Laundry Bear” functions as a cyber-espionage group under Russian state control while conducting operations against NATO member states and European Union countries.
Vice Adm. Peter Reesink stated as MIVD leader that Laundry Bear seeks information about Western governments’ military equipment procurement as well as their Ukraine weapon transfers.
The recent European intelligence service warnings about heightened cyber threats occur during the ongoing Ukrainian conflict. State-sponsored actors have expanded their targeting scope to include law enforcement agencies and domestic institutions according to the Dutch security findings.
The Dutch government maintained silence about the attack’s data breach scope and sensitive information leakage but revealed that the incident demonstrates advanced Russian-affiliated hacker network capabilities.
The Russian government has not issued any response regarding this matter. The Kremlin continues to deny any involvement in cyberattacks on foreign targets despite substantial evidence showing that various hacker groups operate under Russian intelligence.
The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 prompted Western governments to enhance their cyber defenses through shared intelligence and coordinated warnings to critical infrastructure operators. The recent incident shows that European digital defense systems still face persistent vulnerabilities.
The report advocates for governments to enhance their information security measures and defense procurement sector resilience and Ukraine assistance sector resilience against state-backed cyber threats.
Cybersecurity experts predict that digital warfare will remain a central battleground in geopolitical conflicts as tensions between Russia and the West continue to rise while the boundaries between military conflict and espionage and sabotage operations become increasingly indistinct.
