The Hague invites ethical hackers to hack the city's systems
Can you legally hack a city? In The Hague, the answer is yes, again.
The Hague is the most digitally targeted city in the Netherlands. Rather than waiting for cybercriminals to expose vulnerabilities, the city is inviting ethical hackers to do so first. On Monday 5 October, during Cybersecurity Week 2026, the City of The Hague will once again open parts of its digital infrastructure for the seventh edition of Hâck The Hague, challenging participants to identify weaknesses before they can be exploited.
Building resilience before incidents happen
This year's theme, Chain Reaction, focuses on one of today's biggest cybersecurity challenges: understanding how a single vulnerability can trigger a cascade of consequences across interconnected systems and organisations. By simulating these chain reactions, Hâck The Hague aims to strengthen not only the municipality's own cyber resilience, but also that of its partners and suppliers.
Rather than waiting for incidents to happen, The Hague believes in proactively testing its digital resilience. Ethical hackers play a crucial role by identifying weaknesses, reporting them responsibly and helping organisations improve their security.
"Cybersecurity is no longer something organisations can solve on their own. Digital security is a collective responsibility. As our systems become increasingly interconnected, a single vulnerability can trigger a chain reaction across multiple organisations. By working with ethical hackers, we identify weaknesses before criminals do and strengthen the resilience of the entire digital chain. That is how we build a safer digital future together."
Lilian Knippenberg, CISO for The Hague
About Hâck The Hague
Since its launch in 2017, Hâck The Hague has grown into one of the Netherlands' largest government hacking events, attracting more than 120 ethical hackers from the Netherlands and abroad. Participants test internet-connected systems belonging to the municipality and selected partners under responsible disclosure rules, allowing vulnerabilities to be safely identified and resolved.
Hâck The Hague forms part of Cybersecurity Week 2026, taking place from 5 to 9 October in The Hague. Throughout the week, government organisations, businesses, researchers and cybersecurity professionals come together to exchange knowledge, showcase innovation and strengthen international cooperation in digital security.
