The acquisition of cloud service provider Solvinity by the American company Kyndryl has raised questions in the Dutch House of Representatives. Logius, which manages DigiD, emphasizes that the login service will remain Dutch and is conducting an extensive investigation into the possible consequences for service provision, security, and privacy. Solvinity provides the platform on which DigiD runs.
Logius realizes that the acquisition raises questions among citizens, businesses, and governments. Immediately after confirmation of the proposed acquisition, an extensive investigation into its possible impact was launched. The acquisition of Solvinity is a business decision in which Logius played no role.
Bert Voorbraak, Managing Director of Logius: “At the same time, we see that technology providers are regularly being acquired by large international parties.” That is why Logius immediately scaled up. The cabinet is investigating the possible operational, legal, and contractual consequences of the proposed acquisition, with the support of the state attorney. Relevant regulators still have to approve the acquisition. Requirements for the security and continuity of the platform have been set and remain in force.
Measures in case of unacceptable risk
If the impact analysis reveals an unacceptable risk, appropriate measures will be taken immediately. “The security and reliability of Dutch citizens’ data are non-negotiable,” says Voorbraak.
The announcement that Solvinity is being acquired has sparked a heated debate in the Netherlands about digital autonomy. The municipality of Amsterdam feels blindsided by the late communication about the acquisition.