A foreign government is believed to have orchestrated a cyberattack on the Dutch police force, exposing the contact details of nearly 63,000 officers. The breach, which occurred on September 26, 2024, was a sophisticated operation targeting a specific police account.

The attackers exploited system vulnerabilities to access sensitive work-related information, including names, emails, phone numbers, and, in some cases, private details. Though the exact method used remains undisclosed, intelligence agencies suspect a highly skilled state actor was behind the breach, though no specific country has been named.

The hack has raised serious concerns about the potential misuse of the stolen data, particularly in targeting officers, their families, or informants. The Dutch police have launched an investigation, involving internal cyber experts and national security partners, to uncover the perpetrators. While the stolen data has yet to appear online, the breach has caused significant unrest, especially among officers in covert roles. The chair of the Netherlands Police Union, Nine Kooiman, called the incident a 'nightmare,' underlining the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity defenses as state-sponsored cyberattacks become more frequent and damaging.