Beena Arunraj

Albert Heijn delivery resumes

Albert Heijn has resumed home grocery deliveries following a two-week outage caused by a major cybersecurity incident at parent company Ahold Delhaize. Operating at roughly a third of its normal capacity, the supermarket chain has re-opened ordering to select customers and begun dispatching essential items like dairy, fresh produce, and kitchen roll. While delivery slots and product availability are set to expand over the coming week, impacted customers are receiving store credit for previous cancellations as police investigate the breach.

Dutch data protection authority website online following PHP Leak

The website of the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) has returned online alongside that of the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) following temporary shutdowns caused by a widespread PHP software vulnerability. Discovered on Wednesday, the security flaw prompted several organisations to proactively take their sites offline until a patch released around 16:00 could be applied, though most central government services remained accessible throughout the incident.

New car sales expected to decline next year

New passenger car sales in the Netherlands are expected to fall in 2027, driven by changes to vehicle taxation and a slowing economy. While demand for new cars is forecast to soften, the market for light commercial vehicles is expected to continue its recovery.

Student loan interest cap under pressure

Former students may face higher student loan interest rates than previously planned, as rising global borrowing costs make a proposed interest cap increasingly expensive. The government is now exploring alternative measures to limit the financial impact on borrowers.

Research institutions surge in European patent applications

The number of European patent applications filed by universities, research institutes, and research hospitals has more than doubled over the past two decades. According to the European Patent Office, the Netherlands is among the strongest growth markets, with TNO leading Dutch institutions in patent filings.

Government platforms and DigiD are back online

Websites and digital services operated by municipalities, provinces, water boards, and national agencies are back online after precautionary shutdowns linked to vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language. Authorities say there is no evidence that the vulnerabilities were exploited or that any misuse occurred.

PHP Foundation admits ‘structural failure’ delayed fix for major security flaw

The PHP Foundation cited internal deadlocks and limited resources as the cause of a delayed patch for a critical security flaw first identified in 2024. Information leaks forced a premature public disclosure, triggering preventive system shutdowns across Dutch infrastructure, including Schiphol Airport and Ahold Delhaize. Emergency patches have now been released, while the foundation overhauled its governance rules to streamline future security responses.

Schiphol Airport takes mobile app offline over global PHP security vulnerability

Schiphol Airport has disabled its mobile app as a precautionary measure following a global security vulnerability identified in the PHP programming language. Although saved flights remain visible within the app, live data feeds are currently offline to prevent potential exploitation. The airport's main website remains unaffected, and travellers are advised to check real-time flight details online.

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