Clean Networks

An initiative of Stichting NBIP

CSIRT for ISPs and Hosting Providers

NBIP is the CSIRT (Computer Security Incident Response Team) for ISPs and hosting providers. By pooling resources, knowledge, and expertise, we help part of the Dutch digital infrastructure stay resilient against cyber threats and respond adequately to incidents. Below you will find an overview of the key functions and benefits of our CSIRT for the sector.

The Sectoral CSIRT for ISPs, Cloud, and Hosting

The Netherlands has hundreds of ISPs and hosting and cloud providers, all of which must comply with increasingly strict regulations regarding their digital resilience. For many organizations, meeting these requirements adequately is a significant challenge. Fully in line with NBIP’s mission, “Together stronger for a reliable internet”, NBIP has therefore taken on the role of sectoral CSIRT.

Within the framework of Clean Networks, NBIP provides detection, notification, and actionable guidance for ISPs, hosting providers, and cloud providers regarding vulnerabilities and threats. Member organizations turn to NBIP when incidents occur or when they want to gather information to protect themselves against threats. The CSIRT function therefore logically follows from the activities already taking place. Participants connected to Clean Networks automatically also participate in the CSIRT.

Why join NBIP-CSIRT?

The CSIRT offers participants the following benefits:

  • Improved resilience against cyber threats: By participating in the CSIRT, you increase your organization's resilience. The focus on threats and response specific to this sector means specialized knowledge is available to address both existing and emerging threats.
  • Rapid response: The CSIRT provides rapid response to cyber incidents, reducing the impact on your operations. By becoming a member, you can benefit from our expertise and support in handling incidents.
  • Notifications and actionable guidance: As a CSIRT participant, you gain access to relevant information about cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and how to address them. This information is tailored to your organization, so you only receive notifications that are relevant to you.
  • Knowledge sharing: An important role of a sectoral CSIRT is the exchange of knowledge. NBIP-CSIRT will therefore regularly organize (online) sessions and meetings to stimulate knowledge sharing, with explicit room for input from experts and partner organizations.

Frequently asked questions

What does NBIP-CSIRT do?

NBIP-CSIRT is responsible for monitoring, detecting and responding to cyber threats and incidents that may affect ISPs, hosting providers and cloud providers in the Netherlands. The CSIRT can serve as a sounding board and helps when incidents occur. The CSIRT currently provides three services:

Monitoring, detection and notification: participants’ systems and networks are monitored for suspicious activity. Vulnerability reports relevant to a participant are enriched with actionable guidance and forwarded to the participant.
Incident response: NBIP-CSIRT supports incidents with analysis, information, possible solutions and expertise.
Information sharing: threat analyses, vulnerability information and best practices are shared widely to help the sector increase its resilience.

It is essential that ISPs and hosting providers are aware of and work with our CSIRT to increase their resilience and respond adequately to incidents:

  • Rapid response: the CSIRT can respond quickly to incidents, minimizing the impact on the operations and reputation of organizations in the sector.
  • Collaboration: by working with our CSIRT, ISPs and hosting providers can benefit from shared information and resources to test and improve their security measures.

Security incidents always come at an inconvenient time and need to be resolved as quickly as possible. It is not only important that the incident itself is resolved, but also that its impact is investigated, and how it could have happened. This is far more effective with the support of experts, tools and knowledge to quickly arrive at the right analysis and resolve the incident:

NBIP-CSIRT coordinates: we coordinate the response to cyber incidents within the sector, enabling organizations to act quickly and effectively.
Training and exercises: we offer training and exercises to improve the skills and capabilities of the sector and increase preparedness.
Collaboration: we work with national and international partners to jointly respond to large-scale cyber threats.

NBIP-CSIRT helps increase the resilience of ISPs and hosting providers through:

Risk analysis: we regularly carry out risk analyses to identify and address vulnerabilities and threats.
Advice and support: we offer advice and support to help organizations improve their cybersecurity measures.
Information sharing: we share information about current threats and best practices to help organizations better protect themselves against cyberattacks.

For some companies in the sector, organizing incident response themselves may be the better solution. For many companies, however, this is not the case, because they lack the knowledge and resources, and acquiring them is not realistic. Given NBIP’s collective mission, it makes sense to organize the CSIRT on a shared basis.

Each company has to make its own decision about participating. But joining NBIP-CSIRT also offers benefits for companies that can organize their own incident response well:

  • Shared resources: we offer shared resources and services, such as incident response and notifications, which allows organizations to save costs.
  • Preventing damage: by responding quickly and effectively to incidents, we help organizations minimize financial damage and operational impact.
  • Efficient information exchange: we provide timely and relevant information about cyber threats and incidents, enabling organizations to act proactively and save costs.
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