A brief insight. In one month in 2025, we blocked 290,000 phishing emails and found 82 leaked Radboud login details on the dark web. This is not a distant concern, but a daily reality. Our sector has plenty of examples. In 2025, educational institutions faced cyber attacks, such as at TU Eindhoven and the DDoS attack on SURF, which affected us as well. Incidents also occurred within Radboud University, such as the installation of malicious software. Within FSS, software also proved vulnerable to attacks. This affects us directly.
Recently, I collaborated on an information security threat analysis. It shows which current threats could harm Radboud University. Two themes stand out for FSS: cyber espionage and AI. AI is used to mimic voices and falsify images into convincing deepfakes. Attacks in which someone impersonates another are becoming increasingly difficult to recognise. At the same time, international interest in our knowledge and research data is growing. International tensions are increasing, and with them the risks. Our information is valuable. Others know this too.
I would therefore like to inspire another good resolution in you, next to ones such as moving more and eating healthier: learning about working safely with information and starting to work more consciously and safely in 2026. No one wants to see education and research come to a standstill, colleagues’ or students’ personal data up for grabs, or sanctions imposed for negligence, as was previously the case at HAN University of Applied Sciences. Handling information securely is no longer a matter of having the time or the inclination; it is a necessity and part of the job. AI, for example, offers wonderful opportunities, but it also requires a keen eye and awareness. Now is the time to get to work on this.
Follow the e-learning course For your eyes only on information security and privacy. Take a critical look at the tools you use, where information is stored, how you share it and who has access to it. Feel free to contact me so we can take a look together to see how this can be improved, for yourself and your team.
I wish you all a healthy and (digitally) secure 2026.
