News

Reports of hackers targeting two critical PHP security flaws have not originated from the Netherlands, according to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). While the watchdog continues to investigate intelligence shared by international partners, no domestic incidents have been reported following Wednesday's precautionary website outages. With PHP powering millions of sites globally, cyber chiefs are urging all organisations to apply the newly released security patches immediately rather than waiting for signs of an attack.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.