OT security central in fight against cybercriminals

"The hacker with the hoodie is a thing of the past," says Taco Kluwer of the National Inspectorate for Digital Infrastructure (RDI) in his opening presentation at the Industrial Cyber Security event, on October 8, 2025, in 's-Hertogenbosch. "Cybercrime has come of age. We're dealing with well-organized criminal groups that sell services to each other."

The fact that industrial companies are increasingly being targeted by cybercriminals and state actors was evident from the high attendance at the event. A total of 405 visitors and 36 exhibitors attended Congrescentrum 1931, which focused on digital resilience in the process and manufacturing industries.

In his keynote address, Kluwer notes a sharp increase in state-sponsored activities. "The goal of state actors is to disrupt our society. The day Russia invaded Ukraine, the digital war against the West began."

OT in frontline hybrid war
According to Kluwer, a hybrid war is raging, with cyberattacks and the spread of disinformation playing a significant role. "The goal of cyberattacks is to strengthen our own position by undermining the security of another country. One way to do this is by shutting down industry," Kluwer explains. Nevertheless, he is optimistic about the future. "The new legislation is precisely aimed at keeping our country and our digital infrastructure secure. We are prepared and we know what's going on. I'm proud of that."

Compliant as soon as possible
Many entrepreneurs find the legislation complex. Kluwer provides practical advice. For example, he points out the free NIS2 quick scan and the free advice from the National Cyber Security Center"You have to deal with various European laws and regulations and just as many regulators. But companies really have only one question: what do I need to do to become compliant as quickly as possible? That's what we at RDI want to help with." Kluwer concludes his presentation with an encouraging message: "As a technology sector, you face unique OT challenges, but together we ensure that all critical sectors become and remain digitally resilient."

Fierce debates on a Chesterfield
After the plenary session, the audience streams into the trade fair floor, where it's pleasantly busy. In addition to the thirty-six exhibitors presenting their latest products and innovations, this year, for the first time, live a podcast show recorded. Two weathered Chesterfield sofas form the backdrop for heated debates between podcasthost Joep van Heumen (iAUTOMATION) and his guests.

From data diodes to monitoring by robots
It program offers 24 substantive sessions spread across four rooms. Topics range from data diodes in industrial networks (Rob Verseijden, Batenburg Techniek) to monitoring in the OT using robots (Peter van der Voort, OTconnect). The attendees' engagement was striking: many questions were asked, and spontaneous discussions regularly arose among the audience.

One of the highlights is the lecture by Menno Cadee and Bert Willemsen of aXite Security Tools about digital twins: virtual representations of physical systems. Digital twins provide real time Insight into operational networks. This allows companies to proactively identify vulnerabilities and neutralize cyber threats early on. Cadee and Willemsen demonstrate examples of real digital twins beneath Schiphol Airport. The audience is captivated, but there are also concerns. "Could this presentation also be of interest to hackers?" one visitor wonders. "Right," says Cadee, "that's why we've blurred all the relevant information."

Threat level: dark orange
"How close are we to war, according to the government; from green (peace) to red (war)?" author Huib Modderkolk asks the audience during his closing keynote. Most people choose yellow or orange. "Dark orange," the journalist replies. Murmurs rise from the audience. This sets the tone for the rest of the lecture, in which the urgency of cybersecurity is the central theme. The figures are shocking: one in five companies is a target of cybercrime every year, and one in twenty has already been hacked but doesn't know it yet.

Yet, many companies still underestimate the importance of cyber resilience, according to Modderkolk. He warns of three classic misconceptions that can be particularly detrimental to OT environments: underestimating risk, false sense of security, and a lack of transparency.

All visitors leave the room with Modderkolk's latest book 'You really don't want to know this'.

We thank all exhibitors and visitors for coming. See you at Industrial Cyber Security 2026!