WILLEMSTAD - Curaçao’s digital infrastructure faces rising risks from state-sponsored hackers and sophisticated cybercriminal groups, according to the new Cybersecuritybeeld Nederland 2025 report published by the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV).
The findings warn that the Kingdom’s Caribbean territories—though smaller in scale—are exposed to the same global cyberthreats hitting Europe, including attacks on telecom systems, government networks, and essential services.
Telecom Sector a High-Value Target — Risks Extend to Caribbean Islands
The report highlights the telecom industry as one of the most vulnerable sectors worldwide. Attacks on telecom companies can have cascading effects, disrupting emergency services, banking, aviation, and government operations.
While the report details large-scale intrusions into American and European telecom networks by Chinese hacker group Salt Typhoon, it also notes that routers of smaller Internet Service Providers in the Netherlands were compromised during the same campaign.
Given that Curaçao’s telecom sector relies on many of the same technologies, vendors, and regional routing pathways, the islands may face similar risks—especially if advanced groups expand their operations into the Caribbean.
Caribbean Institutions Already Experiencing Spillover Attacks
The report confirms that multiple institutions across the Dutch Caribbean suffered operational disruptions due to cyber incidents in 2025. These included ransomware attacks, malware infiltration, and preventative shutdowns of IT systems to avoid further compromise.
The incident wave demonstrates that global cyber campaigns often have unintended regional spillover effects, affecting places far from the primary targets.
Kingdom-Wide Cooperation Needed
Dutch authorities warn that cybersecurity must now be treated as a national security priority across all parts of the Kingdom. State-backed actors increasingly exploit:
software vulnerabilities
supply-chain service providers
telecom infrastructure
government systems
edge devices such as routers, firewalls, and VPN servers
For Curaçao, this means strengthening defenses, improving monitoring, and ensuring rapid response capacity—especially as digital dependence continues to grow in areas like healthcare, justice, public administration, and aviation.