DigiNotar, the Dutch company responsible until today for the security of Dutch government websites, was itself far from secure, a report suggests.

The company’s computers, public broadcaster NOS reports, lacked antivirus programs and a key server was operating without the latest security software updates.

Though the company’s various systems were supposed to work independently, the hackers were still able to get from one computer to another. Staff at the company were found to using passwords that were easy to crack.

It is reports that Iranian hackers - who managed to access the company's systems in July this year - were looking for data on Iranian internet users and not Dutch ones. The security breach has since been closed and Dutch government websites are now reported to be secure again.

(cl/tf)

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