Dutch Foreign Ministry Issues Security Warning for Travel to Iran

A Dutch newspaper reported on Monday, April 8, that the Dutch Foreign Ministry issued a cybersecurity warning to travelers heading to four countries, including Russia and Iran. The Volkskrant newspaper, citing several unnamed officials, stated that this security warning was previously issued regarding China but now also includes Russia, Iran, and Turkey. The newspaper does not have an official source for its report, as the Dutch government 'does not officially and publicly comment on this matter.' The security warning for China was exclusively communicated to 165 Dutch companies that are part of a delegation traveling to China with the Dutch Prime Minister last Wednesday. According to the Volkskrant report, government employees going on this trip have been given 'new phones devoid of any valuable documents and information.' These employees are also required to carry 'very important documents only in printed and paper form.' On Monday, the names of the other three countries, namely Russia, Iran, and Turkey, were added to this list. In its cybersecurity warning, the Dutch Foreign Ministry advised travelers to these four countries, including China and Iran, to 'bring laptops and mobile phones that are free of sensitive information.' The cybersecurity warning also mentioned that during the trip, individuals from the host countries will definitely have access to the contents of travelers' laptops and mobile phones. The Volkskrant report stated that in these countries, individuals can access the contents of laptops and mobile phones 'from a distance' using certain devices and 'even take control of others' laptops and mobile phones.' However, the newspaper points out that three years ago, when a Dutch government delegation traveled to Russia and China, 'there was no security warning.' With the widespread popularity of internet communication devices such as mobile phones, the issue of cyber crimes has also gained attention from governments and organizations. In this context, the number of security warnings has increased in recent years. For instance, in October 2017, the United States issued a public notice regarding the risk of cyberattacks on energy companies, including water and electricity sectors. The federal notice did not mention the identity or nationality of the hackers or whether they were individual or state-sponsored, but the issue of cyberattacks on infrastructure in the U.S., especially in the past year since the presidential election that declared Donald Trump the winner, has received significant attention. In this context, at the beginning of 2016, the United States indicted seven Iranians for their involvement in cyberattacks from 2011 to 2013 against several American banks and a dam in New York. In recent years, Iranian hackers, especially those linked to the government, have been recognized as some of the most active hackers in the world alongside their Chinese and Russian counterparts. Conversely, Iran itself has also repeatedly fallen victim to hacks from abroad. For instance, last Friday evening, after several cyberattacks, a number of Iranian websites went offline. According to statistics released by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, 35,000 switch routers in Iran were subjected to cyberattacks, with 'the most vulnerabilities occurring in Respina, Iziran, and Shatel companies.' According to the Volkskrant website, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.