New quality mark for digital basic security for SMEs

Digital security is a difficult topic for many SMEs. It is important, but often complex, especially for entrepreneurs without an in-house IT department. At the same time, daily operations increasingly rely on digital systems. That also applies to many companies in the food industry.

On December 4, 2025, the Centrum voor Criminaliteitspreventie en Veiligheid (CCV) published the Keurmerk Digitale Basisveiligheid MKB. The quality mark was developed following the Rajkowski motion in the Dutch House of Representatives. That motion called for better support for SMEs in shaping their cybersecurity policies.

Guidance when IT is outsourced

Many SMEs work with external ICT service providers. That makes sense. But how can an entrepreneur know whether such a provider truly manages digital basic security properly? That question is exactly what lies at the heart of the new quality mark. The quality mark makes it visible which service providers demonstrably have the digital basics in order, based on national principles. According to the CCV, that clarity is urgently needed.

“Thanks to the quality mark, entrepreneurs gain better insight into which services help them get their digital basic security in order. That is badly needed, because SMEs are an attractive target for cybercriminals,” says Herman Dooijewaard, advisor on digital security at the CCV. The quality mark does not focus solely on technical measures. The way a service provider operates also plays a role.

Aligned with risk classifications

The content of the quality mark aligns with the Risicoklassenindeling Digitale Veiligheid (RKIDV). This classification was developed by the Digital Trust Center and the NCSC. Using nine questions, entrepreneurs can determine which risk class their company falls into.
Each class comes with specific security measures. The quality mark shows that an ICT service provider can implement these measures competently and correctly. This gives entrepreneurs greater certainty about the quality of the services they receive.

Certification in preparation

Before SMEs can purchase services carrying the quality mark, one more step is required. In the coming months, the CCV will work on licensing agreements with certification bodies.
Audits are expected to take place from March or April 2026. All requirements for both the service and the quality management system are already set out in the certification scheme. Service providers can start preparing for this now.

Hetccv.nl