Headlines August
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Failed computer system causes major ammonia incident at Chemelot
The major ammonia incident at the Chemelot industrial complex in early July was caused by a computer malfunction. Whether the company is to blame remains to be determined through further investigation.
On July 1st, a major alarm was raised when ammonia was released at the OCI melamine factory. Hundreds of people at the company's site in Sittard-Geleen were forced to stay indoors for several hours due to the hazardous gas in the air. There were no immediate effects beyond the Chemelot site. The situation was brought under control after more than four hours.
Backup didn't work either
The OCI plant falls under the strictest safety regime, the so-called Seveso-certified plants. Chemelot's website states that a malfunction occurred in the plant's computer system, resulting in the backup system not being activated. This caused valves to open, allowing ammonia gas to escape. The massively deployed fire department used water barriers to prevent the spread of the fire as much as possible.
Ammonia leak at Chemelot repaired: all clear after 4.5 hours. The South Limburg Environmental Service (ODZL), which oversees the chemical plants on behalf of the province, was immediately informed in accordance with regulations. Two days later, the Dutch Labour Inspectorate and ODZL visited the site.
Own research OCI
OCI has since conducted its own investigation, but it is not yet complete. "The company expects to submit a final retrospective report in September," says lawyer Joost Laudy of the Environmental Agency. After reviewing this report, the supervisory authorities will decide whether to conduct a Seveso investigation themselves. If the investigation concludes that the unusual incident is culpable, administrative measures or criminal proceedings will be initiated.
Culpability
If a computer system is not properly maintained or a backup system is found to be insufficiently tested, a company can theoretically be held accountable for culpable conduct. Under administrative law, this can lead to a fine. Since no injuries were reported, the likelihood of criminal prosecution seems very slim. Limburg has forty Seveso facilities, companies that work with large quantities of hazardous substances. Half of them are located on the Chemelot site. They must meet strict requirements to ensure safety and health. Initially, this category was called BRZO (Seveso Major Accidents and Disasters Decree), but with the introduction of the new Environmental Act, the name was changed to Seveso. This name comes from a toxic waste disaster in the northern Italian town of Seveso in 1976. Dozens of people fell ill at the time, and thousands of animals were culled as a precaution. In mid-July, another incident occurred at Chemelot, at a Sabic plastics factory. A safety valve suddenly opened, without any disruption to the production process. According to this report on the Chemelot website, 250 kilograms of polyethylene escaped as a result. The white powder landed on houses and cars near the Chemelot site.
Powder and gas escapes
Sixty people reported the incident to the industrial complex's hotline. 800 kilograms of highly flammable ethylene gas also escaped. This was released into the air. According to Sabic, the safety valve opening was a mechanical problem.
Polyethylene powder is processed in the factory into plastic granules, which other producers outside Chemelot use to make packaging for food or medicines, for example. In early July, there was also a major incident at another Sabic unit, for which Grip 1 was immediately declared. Due to a cooling system failure, the pressure in a storage tank became excessive. For safety reasons, propylene had to be vented. Because the airborne emissions provided sufficient dilution, Sabic believes the explosion hazard had subsided. The company is launching an investigation to prevent a recurrence.
In all cases, the Environmental Service monitors incidents at companies on Chemelot. This year, six "unusual incidents" are listed on the Chemelot website , three of which occurred in July. Last year, a total of 13 unusual incidents were reported. Not all incidents have an impact outside a factory or beyond the Chemelot gates.
Source: https://www.l1nieuws.nl/nieuws/2962838/falend-computersysteem-oorzaak-groot-ammoniak-incident-chemelot
At least 10,000 hotels are joining a class action lawsuit against Booking.com
More than 10,000 hotels in Europe have joined a class action lawsuit against Booking.com. They are seeking compensation, claiming they lost money due to the hotel booking site's policies. Consumers also filed a class action lawsuit earlier this year. The platform long operated with best-price clauses, which prohibited hotels from offering their rooms at a lower price on other platforms. Last year, the European Court of Justice ruled that this was contrary to competition law. The class action lawsuit is being filed by the European hospitality industry association Hotrec. "European hoteliers have long suffered from unfair terms and excessive costs. Now is the time to stand together and demand redress," says chairman Alexandros Vassilikos.
Also consumer claim
At the end of June, it was announced that the Consumers' Association is also preparing a class action lawsuit against Booking.com. The organization claims that customers who booked hotels through the site have been overpaying for years due to illegal agreements and unlawful practices. Booking.com calls it "nonsense" that prices have been artificially inflated and says it will fight if the class actions go to court.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2577516
40 degrees and hurricane: outage causes extreme weather forecast Buienradar
Due to a malfunction at Buienradar, a significantly inaccurate weather forecast was temporarily displayed for Friday, August 15th. The website indicated temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius, with wind force 12. This would indicate a hurricane.
According to Buienradar , the error was with the "automatic forecast," which the website generates based on weather models. The hourly forecast isn't entered manually every hour, but is automated using weather data.
"Usually this goes well, but now there's an error somewhere near the end of the forecast in the delivery of this weather data," the weather service wrote. The extreme weather forecast was widely shared on social media. The error has since been corrected. The website shows that a temperature of 24 degrees Celsius is expected with wind force 1. "It should be noted that this is still a long way off," Buienradar notes. So, such a forecast is not entirely certain. We previously wrote about this in the article below. This isn't the first time Buienradar has experienced a malfunction. For example, in the winter of 2022, temperatures were reported to have reached 70 degrees Celsius in Volkel. This wasn't due to a glitch in the weather forecasts, but to a measurement error at the weather station at Volkel Air Force Base itself.
Source: https://www.nu.nl/opmerkelijk/6364557/40-graden-en-orkaan-storing-zorgt-voor-extreme-weersvoorspelling-buienradar.html
Teijin Aramid factory temporarily closed: 'Until we are sure it is safe again'
Fiber production at Teijin Aramid in Farmsum has been temporarily halted. A large fire broke out in the factory's drying area on Wednesday afternoon. Teijin Aramid does not intend to restart production until the cause of the fire is clear.
The fire broke out in the rear of the factory, in the drying room. Firefighters had the fire under control after about two hours. According to a Teijin Aramid spokesperson, the damage to and around the factory is relatively minor: "Fortunately, there were no casualties and no environmental damage. Thanks to the emergency services, who acted quickly and effectively."
What is aramid?
Teijin Aramid produces synthetic fibers stronger than steel: aramid. Thanks to its heat-resistant properties and strength-to-weight ratio, products incorporating aramid are strong and durable. Aramid is used in numerous applications, such as car tires, hockey sticks, bridges, and personal protective clothing, such as racing suits.
Better safe than sorry
Although the damage to the drying facility is minimal, according to a spokesperson, production has not yet resumed: "Production will remain suspended for the time being until we are certain that we can produce safely again," a spokesperson said.
The company cannot say how long the investigation into the cause of the fire will take: "We certainly hope for the shortest possible time. But we prefer to be safe than sorry."
Production in Delfzijl.
The company has locations in Delfzijl (Farmsum), Emmen, and Arnhem. Approximately 275 people work for the company in our province. A key component of the factory is the production of polymer powder.
Emmen continues to operate for the time being
The fibers produced at the Farmsum site, such as polymer powder, serve as raw material for the Emmen factory. According to a spokesperson, there is currently sufficient inventory to maintain production levels. Should the Farmsum factory be shut down for an extended period, this would have consequences for the Emmen factory. "But we're not at that point yet."
No employees are home due to the fire. "Fortunately, there's still plenty of other work to be done," the spokesperson concluded.
Source: https://www.rtvnoord.nl/112/1330661/fabriek-teijin-aramid-voorlopig-gesloten-tot-we-zeker-weten-dat-het-weer-veilig-is
Sporting goods store recall: broken bicycle wheel and objects found in horse treats
The sports store chain Decathlon is recalling products for safety reasons. The recall includes Swiss Side bicycle wheels and Fougatreats horse treats. Decathlon is recalling the RCR Pro Ultegra/RCR Dura Ace road bikes with the Hadron² Classic 500 and Hadron² Ultimate 500 wheels . The recall affects bikes sold between August of last year and last Monday. The layers of material can detach, causing the wheel to break during use, posing a safety risk to the user, the sports retailer writes. "This poses a risk of accidents, potentially resulting in property damage, serious injury, or even death." Decathlon is urging users to stop using them and check with the manufacturer whether their bicycle wheels are affected. Customers can contact Swiss Side about the recall. The manufacturer says there are no known casualties, but that the defects were discovered during quality control checks. The wheels were sold separately and as components for certain bicycles at several online stores and specialty shops.
Horse treats
Fougatreats brand horse treats are also being recalled. This includes batches of 3-kilo bags of strawberry/fig/dandelion-alfalfa and 1-kilo bags of dandelion-alfalfa. The products were sold between March and last Wednesday. The sporting goods store writes that they may contain inedible foreign objects "which could cause bodily harm to the horse/pony." Customers should check the batch numbers of the products before use to see if their products are affected. The treats can be returned to the store. Decathlon was unavailable for comment. Therefore, it is unclear whether any animals became ill.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2578049
Data of hundreds of thousands of women hacked in cervical cancer screening
Cybercriminals have stolen private data from 485,000 women from a laboratory conducting research for the Dutch Population Survey.
The women participated in the cervical cancer screening program, either through a Pap smear test at their GP or a self-test. Participants in other studies were not affected, according to the Dutch Population Survey. The impact of the data breach is still unclear. It is certain that research data was accessed, but whether this applies to all women is still being investigated. Name and address information was also accessed, as were the names of healthcare providers and referrals from general practitioners. Some data was "stolen," but whether this applies to all data is unknown.
Several years
"This likely involves research data from several years," said a spokesperson for the Dutch Population Survey (BNP). This data goes back to 2016. Annually, 700,000 women participate in the survey. The women will receive a letter with more information in the coming weeks. They should be aware of the potential for misuse of their personal data; cybercriminals could, for example, send highly targeted phishing emails.
What can criminals do with this data?
"For cybercriminals, people's private data is simply worth money," says tech editor Joost Schellevis. "They sell it because it allows other criminals to launch highly targeted phishing attacks or commit identity fraud. The more sensitive and reliable the information, the more you can ask for it." Another way cybercriminals make money is through extortion. A hacked organization is then pressured to pay. If they don't, the stolen information simply ends up online. That could potentially happen here as well, although there's certainly no concrete evidence of that yet. The figure of 485,000 is based on research by the affected laboratory, Clinical Diagnostics in Rijswijk. The company confirmed it had been hacked but declined to answer any substantive questions.
It's still unknown whether data from other clients was also affected by the hack. An independent investigation will determine exactly what happened. State Secretary Tielen (VVD) of Youth, Prevention and Sport "regrets" the data breach. "Participating in the cervical cancer screening program is stressful enough. Participants must be able to trust that their data is secure." The State Secretary emphasizes that anyone with any concerns can call or email the Dutch Population Screening Service.
Suspended
Collaboration with the laboratory in question has been temporarily suspended, and all ongoing studies are being conducted elsewhere. Anyone currently participating in a study therefore has no need to fear for their data, according to the government organization conducting the population survey on behalf of the RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment). Although the hackers were able to access research data, they were unable to modify it, the organization stated in a written statement. Therefore, no further investigations need to be conducted.
Soure: https://nos.nl/artikel/2578296-gegevens-honderdduizenden-vrouwen-gehackt-bij-bevolkingsonderzoek-baarmoederhalskanker
Hackers demand nearly €1.1 million to prevent medical data from being leaked
The criminals who stole the medical data of hundreds of thousands of Dutch people from a laboratory in Rijswijk are demanding nearly 1.1 million euros from the company to prevent the data from being published. This weekend, a message appeared on the dark web in which the hacker group Nova threatened to release the data. The hackers have now also mentioned a sum: Nova wants Clinical Diagnostics to pay 11 bitcoins, which amounts to almost 1.1 million euros. The hackers claim that another interested buyer wants the data for that amount, although that could also be a bluff.
'Agreements violated'
Nova posted the threat on the dark web this weekend, claiming that Clinical Diagnostics had breached its agreements with Nova. The specific agreement was not specified. It may have involved involving the police in the data breach. Clinical Diagnostics previously paid Nova a ransom , the hacker group confirmed to RTL Nieuws. The company likely did so to prevent the data from being published initially. It's unclear how much money was paid. Now the hacker group is blackmailing the company again. A countdown clock on the dark web gives Clinical Diagnostics until the night of August 28th to 29th to meet the hackers' new demand.
Hundreds of thousands of victims
The hackers stole data from 485,000 women participating in the cervical cancer screening program. This included people who had a Pap smear taken at their GP or self-tested at home. The data leaked included their name, address, date of birth, citizen service number (BSN), and possibly test results. In addition, the data of over 50,000 women has been published on the dark web. This also included data from other studies, such as those on the vagina, penis, urine, skin tissue, or wound fluid. This involves data from people who visited their general practitioner or a treatment clinic for this purpose. They used the same laboratory in Rijswijk, just like the Dutch Population Survey, to conduct the study.
Nova had posted the dataset of 50,000 Dutch people online as an example. This likely represents only a small portion of the stolen data. In total, the group claims to have stolen 300 gigabytes of data. The files posted online totaled 85 MB. This would represent 0.03 percent of the total size of the stolen data.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2579048-hackers-eisen-bijna-1-1-miljoen-euro-om-medische-gegevens-niet-te-lekken
Man sets fire to computers in Leiden city office, making workstations unusable
Police arrested a man Monday morning for arson at the Leiden municipal offices. The man threw a "flammable liquid" over monitors and keyboards and ignited them. Emergency services received a report of the fire around 8:15 a.m. It was quickly extinguished. However, the building had to be evacuated due to the smoke, Omroep West reports. City hall security was able to hand the arsonist over to the police, who arrested him. Police suspect the suspect may be exhibiting "possibly incomprehensible behavior." No one was injured, but the counter staff were shocked by the arson. Victim support is available for them.
The municipal office is open again to employees and the public. However, some appointments have had to be rescheduled, the municipality reports. Two screens were reportedly damaged. Furthermore, soot particles are scattered throughout the room, and the smell of smoke is noticeable. Some workstations are unusable, according to a fire department spokesperson.
Source: https://www.nu.nl/binnenland/6365988/man-steekt-computers-in-brand-in-stadskantoor-leiden-werkplekken-onbruikbaar.html
The major ammonia incident at the Chemelot industrial complex in early July was caused by a computer malfunction. Whether the company is to blame remains to be determined through further investigation.
On July 1st, a major alarm was raised when ammonia was released at the OCI melamine factory. Hundreds of people at the company's site in Sittard-Geleen were forced to stay indoors for several hours due to the hazardous gas in the air. There were no immediate effects beyond the Chemelot site. The situation was brought under control after more than four hours.
Backup didn't work either
The OCI plant falls under the strictest safety regime, the so-called Seveso-certified plants. Chemelot's website states that a malfunction occurred in the plant's computer system, resulting in the backup system not being activated. This caused valves to open, allowing ammonia gas to escape. The massively deployed fire department used water barriers to prevent the spread of the fire as much as possible.
Ammonia leak at Chemelot repaired: all clear after 4.5 hours. The South Limburg Environmental Service (ODZL), which oversees the chemical plants on behalf of the province, was immediately informed in accordance with regulations. Two days later, the Dutch Labour Inspectorate and ODZL visited the site.
Own research OCI
OCI has since conducted its own investigation, but it is not yet complete. "The company expects to submit a final retrospective report in September," says lawyer Joost Laudy of the Environmental Agency. After reviewing this report, the supervisory authorities will decide whether to conduct a Seveso investigation themselves. If the investigation concludes that the unusual incident is culpable, administrative measures or criminal proceedings will be initiated.
Culpability
If a computer system is not properly maintained or a backup system is found to be insufficiently tested, a company can theoretically be held accountable for culpable conduct. Under administrative law, this can lead to a fine. Since no injuries were reported, the likelihood of criminal prosecution seems very slim. Limburg has forty Seveso facilities, companies that work with large quantities of hazardous substances. Half of them are located on the Chemelot site. They must meet strict requirements to ensure safety and health. Initially, this category was called BRZO (Seveso Major Accidents and Disasters Decree), but with the introduction of the new Environmental Act, the name was changed to Seveso. This name comes from a toxic waste disaster in the northern Italian town of Seveso in 1976. Dozens of people fell ill at the time, and thousands of animals were culled as a precaution. In mid-July, another incident occurred at Chemelot, at a Sabic plastics factory. A safety valve suddenly opened, without any disruption to the production process. According to this report on the Chemelot website, 250 kilograms of polyethylene escaped as a result. The white powder landed on houses and cars near the Chemelot site.
Powder and gas escapes
Sixty people reported the incident to the industrial complex's hotline. 800 kilograms of highly flammable ethylene gas also escaped. This was released into the air. According to Sabic, the safety valve opening was a mechanical problem.
Polyethylene powder is processed in the factory into plastic granules, which other producers outside Chemelot use to make packaging for food or medicines, for example. In early July, there was also a major incident at another Sabic unit, for which Grip 1 was immediately declared. Due to a cooling system failure, the pressure in a storage tank became excessive. For safety reasons, propylene had to be vented. Because the airborne emissions provided sufficient dilution, Sabic believes the explosion hazard had subsided. The company is launching an investigation to prevent a recurrence.
In all cases, the Environmental Service monitors incidents at companies on Chemelot. This year, six "unusual incidents" are listed on the Chemelot website , three of which occurred in July. Last year, a total of 13 unusual incidents were reported. Not all incidents have an impact outside a factory or beyond the Chemelot gates.
Source: https://www.l1nieuws.nl/nieuws/2962838/falend-computersysteem-oorzaak-groot-ammoniak-incident-chemelot
At least 10,000 hotels are joining a class action lawsuit against Booking.com
More than 10,000 hotels in Europe have joined a class action lawsuit against Booking.com. They are seeking compensation, claiming they lost money due to the hotel booking site's policies. Consumers also filed a class action lawsuit earlier this year. The platform long operated with best-price clauses, which prohibited hotels from offering their rooms at a lower price on other platforms. Last year, the European Court of Justice ruled that this was contrary to competition law. The class action lawsuit is being filed by the European hospitality industry association Hotrec. "European hoteliers have long suffered from unfair terms and excessive costs. Now is the time to stand together and demand redress," says chairman Alexandros Vassilikos.
Also consumer claim
At the end of June, it was announced that the Consumers' Association is also preparing a class action lawsuit against Booking.com. The organization claims that customers who booked hotels through the site have been overpaying for years due to illegal agreements and unlawful practices. Booking.com calls it "nonsense" that prices have been artificially inflated and says it will fight if the class actions go to court.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2577516
40 degrees and hurricane: outage causes extreme weather forecast Buienradar
Due to a malfunction at Buienradar, a significantly inaccurate weather forecast was temporarily displayed for Friday, August 15th. The website indicated temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius, with wind force 12. This would indicate a hurricane.
According to Buienradar , the error was with the "automatic forecast," which the website generates based on weather models. The hourly forecast isn't entered manually every hour, but is automated using weather data.
"Usually this goes well, but now there's an error somewhere near the end of the forecast in the delivery of this weather data," the weather service wrote. The extreme weather forecast was widely shared on social media. The error has since been corrected. The website shows that a temperature of 24 degrees Celsius is expected with wind force 1. "It should be noted that this is still a long way off," Buienradar notes. So, such a forecast is not entirely certain. We previously wrote about this in the article below. This isn't the first time Buienradar has experienced a malfunction. For example, in the winter of 2022, temperatures were reported to have reached 70 degrees Celsius in Volkel. This wasn't due to a glitch in the weather forecasts, but to a measurement error at the weather station at Volkel Air Force Base itself.
Source: https://www.nu.nl/opmerkelijk/6364557/40-graden-en-orkaan-storing-zorgt-voor-extreme-weersvoorspelling-buienradar.html
Teijin Aramid factory temporarily closed: 'Until we are sure it is safe again'
Fiber production at Teijin Aramid in Farmsum has been temporarily halted. A large fire broke out in the factory's drying area on Wednesday afternoon. Teijin Aramid does not intend to restart production until the cause of the fire is clear.
The fire broke out in the rear of the factory, in the drying room. Firefighters had the fire under control after about two hours. According to a Teijin Aramid spokesperson, the damage to and around the factory is relatively minor: "Fortunately, there were no casualties and no environmental damage. Thanks to the emergency services, who acted quickly and effectively."
What is aramid?
Teijin Aramid produces synthetic fibers stronger than steel: aramid. Thanks to its heat-resistant properties and strength-to-weight ratio, products incorporating aramid are strong and durable. Aramid is used in numerous applications, such as car tires, hockey sticks, bridges, and personal protective clothing, such as racing suits.
Better safe than sorry
Although the damage to the drying facility is minimal, according to a spokesperson, production has not yet resumed: "Production will remain suspended for the time being until we are certain that we can produce safely again," a spokesperson said.
The company cannot say how long the investigation into the cause of the fire will take: "We certainly hope for the shortest possible time. But we prefer to be safe than sorry."
Production in Delfzijl.
The company has locations in Delfzijl (Farmsum), Emmen, and Arnhem. Approximately 275 people work for the company in our province. A key component of the factory is the production of polymer powder.
Emmen continues to operate for the time being
The fibers produced at the Farmsum site, such as polymer powder, serve as raw material for the Emmen factory. According to a spokesperson, there is currently sufficient inventory to maintain production levels. Should the Farmsum factory be shut down for an extended period, this would have consequences for the Emmen factory. "But we're not at that point yet."
No employees are home due to the fire. "Fortunately, there's still plenty of other work to be done," the spokesperson concluded.
Source: https://www.rtvnoord.nl/112/1330661/fabriek-teijin-aramid-voorlopig-gesloten-tot-we-zeker-weten-dat-het-weer-veilig-is
Sporting goods store recall: broken bicycle wheel and objects found in horse treats
The sports store chain Decathlon is recalling products for safety reasons. The recall includes Swiss Side bicycle wheels and Fougatreats horse treats. Decathlon is recalling the RCR Pro Ultegra/RCR Dura Ace road bikes with the Hadron² Classic 500 and Hadron² Ultimate 500 wheels . The recall affects bikes sold between August of last year and last Monday. The layers of material can detach, causing the wheel to break during use, posing a safety risk to the user, the sports retailer writes. "This poses a risk of accidents, potentially resulting in property damage, serious injury, or even death." Decathlon is urging users to stop using them and check with the manufacturer whether their bicycle wheels are affected. Customers can contact Swiss Side about the recall. The manufacturer says there are no known casualties, but that the defects were discovered during quality control checks. The wheels were sold separately and as components for certain bicycles at several online stores and specialty shops.
Horse treats
Fougatreats brand horse treats are also being recalled. This includes batches of 3-kilo bags of strawberry/fig/dandelion-alfalfa and 1-kilo bags of dandelion-alfalfa. The products were sold between March and last Wednesday. The sporting goods store writes that they may contain inedible foreign objects "which could cause bodily harm to the horse/pony." Customers should check the batch numbers of the products before use to see if their products are affected. The treats can be returned to the store. Decathlon was unavailable for comment. Therefore, it is unclear whether any animals became ill.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2578049
Data of hundreds of thousands of women hacked in cervical cancer screening
Cybercriminals have stolen private data from 485,000 women from a laboratory conducting research for the Dutch Population Survey.
The women participated in the cervical cancer screening program, either through a Pap smear test at their GP or a self-test. Participants in other studies were not affected, according to the Dutch Population Survey. The impact of the data breach is still unclear. It is certain that research data was accessed, but whether this applies to all women is still being investigated. Name and address information was also accessed, as were the names of healthcare providers and referrals from general practitioners. Some data was "stolen," but whether this applies to all data is unknown.
Several years
"This likely involves research data from several years," said a spokesperson for the Dutch Population Survey (BNP). This data goes back to 2016. Annually, 700,000 women participate in the survey. The women will receive a letter with more information in the coming weeks. They should be aware of the potential for misuse of their personal data; cybercriminals could, for example, send highly targeted phishing emails.
What can criminals do with this data?
"For cybercriminals, people's private data is simply worth money," says tech editor Joost Schellevis. "They sell it because it allows other criminals to launch highly targeted phishing attacks or commit identity fraud. The more sensitive and reliable the information, the more you can ask for it." Another way cybercriminals make money is through extortion. A hacked organization is then pressured to pay. If they don't, the stolen information simply ends up online. That could potentially happen here as well, although there's certainly no concrete evidence of that yet. The figure of 485,000 is based on research by the affected laboratory, Clinical Diagnostics in Rijswijk. The company confirmed it had been hacked but declined to answer any substantive questions.
It's still unknown whether data from other clients was also affected by the hack. An independent investigation will determine exactly what happened. State Secretary Tielen (VVD) of Youth, Prevention and Sport "regrets" the data breach. "Participating in the cervical cancer screening program is stressful enough. Participants must be able to trust that their data is secure." The State Secretary emphasizes that anyone with any concerns can call or email the Dutch Population Screening Service.
Suspended
Collaboration with the laboratory in question has been temporarily suspended, and all ongoing studies are being conducted elsewhere. Anyone currently participating in a study therefore has no need to fear for their data, according to the government organization conducting the population survey on behalf of the RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment). Although the hackers were able to access research data, they were unable to modify it, the organization stated in a written statement. Therefore, no further investigations need to be conducted.
Soure: https://nos.nl/artikel/2578296-gegevens-honderdduizenden-vrouwen-gehackt-bij-bevolkingsonderzoek-baarmoederhalskanker
Hackers demand nearly €1.1 million to prevent medical data from being leaked
The criminals who stole the medical data of hundreds of thousands of Dutch people from a laboratory in Rijswijk are demanding nearly 1.1 million euros from the company to prevent the data from being published. This weekend, a message appeared on the dark web in which the hacker group Nova threatened to release the data. The hackers have now also mentioned a sum: Nova wants Clinical Diagnostics to pay 11 bitcoins, which amounts to almost 1.1 million euros. The hackers claim that another interested buyer wants the data for that amount, although that could also be a bluff.
'Agreements violated'
Nova posted the threat on the dark web this weekend, claiming that Clinical Diagnostics had breached its agreements with Nova. The specific agreement was not specified. It may have involved involving the police in the data breach. Clinical Diagnostics previously paid Nova a ransom , the hacker group confirmed to RTL Nieuws. The company likely did so to prevent the data from being published initially. It's unclear how much money was paid. Now the hacker group is blackmailing the company again. A countdown clock on the dark web gives Clinical Diagnostics until the night of August 28th to 29th to meet the hackers' new demand.
Hundreds of thousands of victims
The hackers stole data from 485,000 women participating in the cervical cancer screening program. This included people who had a Pap smear taken at their GP or self-tested at home. The data leaked included their name, address, date of birth, citizen service number (BSN), and possibly test results. In addition, the data of over 50,000 women has been published on the dark web. This also included data from other studies, such as those on the vagina, penis, urine, skin tissue, or wound fluid. This involves data from people who visited their general practitioner or a treatment clinic for this purpose. They used the same laboratory in Rijswijk, just like the Dutch Population Survey, to conduct the study.
Nova had posted the dataset of 50,000 Dutch people online as an example. This likely represents only a small portion of the stolen data. In total, the group claims to have stolen 300 gigabytes of data. The files posted online totaled 85 MB. This would represent 0.03 percent of the total size of the stolen data.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2579048-hackers-eisen-bijna-1-1-miljoen-euro-om-medische-gegevens-niet-te-lekken
Man sets fire to computers in Leiden city office, making workstations unusable
Police arrested a man Monday morning for arson at the Leiden municipal offices. The man threw a "flammable liquid" over monitors and keyboards and ignited them. Emergency services received a report of the fire around 8:15 a.m. It was quickly extinguished. However, the building had to be evacuated due to the smoke, Omroep West reports. City hall security was able to hand the arsonist over to the police, who arrested him. Police suspect the suspect may be exhibiting "possibly incomprehensible behavior." No one was injured, but the counter staff were shocked by the arson. Victim support is available for them.
The municipal office is open again to employees and the public. However, some appointments have had to be rescheduled, the municipality reports. Two screens were reportedly damaged. Furthermore, soot particles are scattered throughout the room, and the smell of smoke is noticeable. Some workstations are unusable, according to a fire department spokesperson.
Source: https://www.nu.nl/binnenland/6365988/man-steekt-computers-in-brand-in-stadskantoor-leiden-werkplekken-onbruikbaar.html
Translated from Dutch to English with Google translate