The Dutch company in question is a family business that has been specializing in luxury yachts for several decades. Over the years, the company has developed unique processes and innovations that have helped it become a leading player in the industry. The company is known for creating custom-made yachts that are completely tailored to the needs and preferences of its high-end customers, and boat design has become a true art form within the company.

Unfortunately, the company faced a major security incident when a new intern arrived and connected his home laptop to the company network via a LAN connection. The intern did not yet have a WiFi password and was unaware of the potential risks of connecting to the network. However, unbeknownst to anyone at the company, the laptop contained a small program that was able to send digitally encrypted data to a competitor every time a print was made on the printer.

The competitor, who was using black hat hackers, was able to make small modifications to the data files used by the company’s 3D printers. This allowed them to steal the company’s unique processes and innovations, which they were able to use to create their own luxury yachts at a lower cost. The intern’s account was used to send the stolen data, which made it difficult for the company to identify the source of the breach.

The consequences of the attack for the company were significant. In the short term, the company lost a major customer when a new yacht was presented at a boardroom presentation and the engine’s digital twin appeared to be malfunctioning. The customer was severely disappointed and cancelled their order, leading to a loss of revenue for the company.

In the mid-term, the company lost its competitive advantage as its unique processes and innovations were now in the hands of a competitor. This led to a decline in market share and revenue, as well as damage to the company’s reputation. The substantial investments made in these innovations became a depreciable item, as the company was no longer able to differentiate itself from its competitors.

In the long term, the company and its affiliated companies could face further consequences, including legal and regulatory action, if they are found to be non-compliant with the European Union’s Network and Information Systems Directive (NIS2). This directive sets out security and notification requirements for companies operating essential services and digital service providers, and the company’s failure to report the breach in a timely manner could result in fines and penalties. The company may also face a loss of trust from its customers and affiliated companies, which could further impact its financial performance and reputation.

The employment consequences for the board members, CISO, director of IT, and the intern would depend on the specific circumstances of the case and the policies and procedures of the company. It is possible that the board members and management could face disciplinary action or termination of their employment for their failure to comply with the NIS2 directive and their lack of awareness of the risks and consequences of digital corporate espionage. The intern may also face consequences for their actions, which likely contributed to the breach. However, the full extent of the employment consequences would depend on the details of the case.

In the aftermath of the attack, the company’s management and board of directors were faced with the difficult task of recovering from the breach and rebuilding the company’s reputation and competitive position. This would likely involve a range of measures, such as implementing additional security controls to prevent future breaches, improving compliance with the NIS2 directive and other relevant regulations, and rebuilding trust with customers and affiliated companies.

The management and board members would also need to consider the employment consequences for the intern and other employees who may have contributed to the breach. This could involve disciplinary action or termination of employment, depending on the policies and procedures of the company and the specific circumstances of the case.

The company would also need to consider the financial impact of the attack, which could include losses due to the cancellation of orders, fines and penalties if the company is found to be non-compliant with the NIS2 directive, and potential legal action if the company is sued by customers or affiliated companies.

The attack on the Dutch company specializing in luxury yachts had significant consequences for the company in the short, mid, and long term. The attack highlighted the importance of cybersecurity and the need for companies to take appropriate measures to protect their systems and the sensitive data they hold. It also demonstrated the potential consequences of failing to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.