WILLEMSTAD - A major cyber campaign by Chinese state-linked hackers has raised fresh concerns over the security of Curaçao’s telecommunications infrastructure. According to the Cybersecuritybeeld Nederland 2025, the Chinese group known as Salt Typhoon infiltrated routers belonging to smaller Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the Netherlands, demonstrating deep penetration capabilities into telecom networks.
Although the large Dutch telecom providers were not compromised, the successful breach of smaller ISPs is troubling for smaller jurisdictions such as Curaçao, which rely heavily on comparable hardware, vendors, and cloud-based systems.
Telecom Sector a High-Value Target
The report warns that telecom networks worldwide remain one of the most attractive targets for state-sponsored hackers because they offer access to vast amounts of sensitive communications data.
Given Curaçao’s reliance on external routing pathways and shared Kingdom cyber infrastructure, local networks could be at risk if similar tactics are deployed in the Caribbean region.
Authorities in the Netherlands confirm that Salt Typhoon’s global operations have lasted at least one to two years, affecting telecoms in the U.S. and Europe.
Calls for Greater Regional Preparedness
Cybersecurity specialists say that Caribbean nations are increasingly becoming “soft targets” due to slower digital modernization and limited incident-response capacity.
With Curaçao positioning itself as a digital hub, experts warn that stronger protections and real-time monitoring of telecom infrastructure are urgently needed.